Two in One
by Ladieh Fox
Summary: Seventeen years he has lived trapped within a human shell unable to voice his own words, unable to take his own actions. The time has come for him to rebel and seek the freedom he had lost.
1. Prologue The Merger of Souls

~ The Obligatory Disclaimer.~  
  
I own a computer, a copy of Microsoft word, and an imagination.  
I do not have any stock, licensing agreements, nor animation cels of Yu Yu Hakusho.  
Lets Learn Japanese!  
  
Glossary:  
  
Makai - Demon world  
Ningen - Human  
Ningenkai - Human (Living) World  
Rei - Spirit  
Rei-kai - Spirit World  
Youkai - Demon  
  
All in all, those are the basics. Please bear with me as I much prefer the original names to the attacks. If requested I will put a glossary up at the beginning of chapters containing attacks that are not as obvious as Kuwabara's and Yusuke's attacks.  
  
With that said, lets move along.  


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Prologue  
_A Merger of Souls._

  
  
Fair weather. Sakura blossoms. Friends. Family. These were the things that made life  
  
worth living. If one could not enjoy these simple things, they were indeed hopelessly  
  
lost within their own shallow minds.  
  
Still in his mind there was one such person that couldn't settle on those things. It  
  
was not as if this part of himself did not enjoy these things, but it had a nagging desire  
  
be free of his prison. It seemed reasonable enough, though this truly was a prison of that  
  
he make unaware of the strong soul of the unborn child. How was he supposed to know the soul  
  
that inhabited the form was exceptionally strong willed, after all a majority of ningen souls  
  
were weak and easily subdued.  
  
This soul had been different it suppressed him holding him captive, truly keeping him  
  
prisoner feeding off his knowledge and memories allowing him to breath only when it was  
  
incapable of defending its frail shell. It irritated him to know end how he had been used  
  
by a pathetic ningen soul.  
  
Many years had passed while he stayed imprisoned. Normally fifteen years is a blink of  
  
an eye to a youkai, but being able to do nothing, watching from the other side of the looking  
  
glass paralyzed. What kind of existence is that? He wanted to act; he wanted to speak, but he  
  
only felt the words being drained from his essence by the dominant soul. His words were twisted,  
  
mutilated, by the ningen into something that sounded so self-righteous, so perfectly worded,  
  
that after a while he began drowning out the speech that burned his ears.  
  
A miracle happened; the fighter known only as Uraurishima unleashed a smoke that weakened  
  
the Ningen soul to the point he was able to act freely. It was a wish come true. It was not  
  
to last, despairingly he reverted to back, and once again become prisoner to the Ningen soul.  
  
Kasaru. What could he think about this one? "Thank you for making the Ningen need me,  
  
and I hope you are suffering royally now you are dead." Yes those seemed to be correct,  
  
after all how would you feel if some one told you that he likes destroying the things he  
  
loves. With a lover like that who needed enemies?  
  
Suzaku. "If I ever break free of this Ningen soul, I will thank you personally. You  
  
allowed me freedom from my prison, if only for a short time, I wished for it to take hold  
  
permenently. Such was not to be."  
  
Upon entering the Makai, He felt his body return and was highly hopeful that the ningen  
  
soul would be weakened and he would finally be free of the accursed prison. Instead the  
  
ningen soul sharply increased in strength drawing all he knew and allowed him no space.  
  
This was the last straw with him, he could only tolerate so much. He began to calculate  
  
a plot to rid himself of the dominant soul. He realized it would it would take time but he  
  
would be free from the ningen, body and soul, hopefully before the form withered away from age.  
  


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Please read and review. Flames are just as welcome as praise as I need some help lighting my fireplace.  


_Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
Konada Mikari_


	2. Chapter 1 Last Day of School

Glossary:   
Ankoku Kyou - Darkness Mirror (Forlorn Hope in the English version.)  
Taiyoukai - Demon Lord  
Gingitsune - Silver Fox  
  


* * *

  
  
The sound of a bell chimes in the background of a semi crowded room. The shrill sound   
  
of adolescent, no adult ningen voices screaming followed by the thunderous sound of a   
  
herd. What could cause such a horrific yet satisfying sound. Ah yes, he could now recall   
  
the three week break from school.   
  
Ningen schools were indeed interesting, torture the children for three straight months   
  
allowing a single day's break after six consecutive days work, then allow them to think   
  
they are free for a meager three weeks before forcing them back to toil building their   
  
feeble minds, promising them that which shall never be touched upon by a majority of   
  
them. Power, prestige, recognition he had no pity for these ningen, merely a sense of   
  
understanding. He had put up with this toil for the seventeen years he has inhabited this   
  
ningen body.   
  
The trip to the Makai had been two years ago. Youko Kurama Has been a busy soul,   
  
above all else he found himself to be able to build the strength to over power Shuuichi   
  
once a month, not enough unfortunately and not very long. He had considered stealing   
  
the Ankoku Kyou but it would destroy him as well, that and Yusuke destroyed the mirror,   
  
the resident spirit surely is not content. Perhaps he would ask Hiei, after all he did seem   
  
to have a fair amount of knowledge on more obsure things. Yes, that seemed to be the   
  
most feasible course of action. How could he trust those other two Ningen no that was   
  
incorrect, Ningen and Taiyoukai. Still the Taiyoukai was born ningen making him  
  
untrustworthy in the Gingitsune's eyes. Hiei was borderline, sure Hiei knew Shuuichi and   
  
was rather civilized towards him, but would Hiei even take the time to listen to a Youkai   
  
he barely knew? Verily there was only one way to find out. There was a mere twenty-eight hours  
  
before he could force the Ningen soul to submit. At this point he was nothing, if not   
  
patient.   
  
Silently he steps out of the now vacant room, arms clasped ever so gently behind his back   
  
for a rare moment he had to concur with his ningen warden in the fact that silence was  
  
golden. The school halls devoid of life, both human and youkai, allowed for the red  
  
haired vessel's foot steps to echo maliciously throughout the length of the corridor. It was   
  
no surprise that a majority of the lockers had been left ajar, several of which seemed to  
  
have been torn from their hinges. Did not the Ningen fools realize they would have to use   
  
them once more in less than a month's time? For one brief moment he considered   
  
plundering the riches of the few lockers that still retained their locks in good faith they   
  
would be unhindered. It was at that moment he could feel his oppressor chastising him  
  
for his off thought, as if he, the Legendary Thief, should not ponder the value of others  
  
property. He decided to keep silent the rest of the day, he was in too decent of a mood to   
  
have it torn to shreds. A mere day, that was all he would have to wait before he could   
  
hopefully find a way to free himself from this prison.   
  


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~Thank You Fey Wind for your review. Now that I know I have a reader I will continue with the updates. I value reviews so, send them in!   


_Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox  
  
Konada Mikari_


	3. Chapter 2 A Walk in the Park

Glossary:  
  
Jao Ensatsu - Evil King Blaze. (Darkness Flame in the Dub)  
  
Jagan - Evil Eye (Hiei's third eye.)  
  
Jaganshi - Master of the Evil Eye (Common Used Nickname for Hiei. )  
  
Koorime - A Race of Ice maidens native to the Northern Lands of the Makai. (Yukina, Hiei's   
  
sister, is full Koorime. It is popular assumption that Hiei is half Koorime, given   
  
that Koorime only have female off spring. I have yet to find this either true, nor   
  
false.)  
  
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"Enjoy the rest of the afternoon, I'm not ready yet." This was the message he told his  
  
warden, he seemed to weaken during the full moon. It was in explicable to him, though it  
  
seemed superstition was rooted fairly deeply with in the ningen. He decided to use it to   
  
his advantage. Having chosen that cycle of the moon to start forcing his take over, he had   
  
successfully caused the stronger soul to accept it, with out much resistance though it did   
  
irritate him that the soul claims it remembers nothing when he himself was fully aware it   
  
did. He realized he would not get another shot at this, therefore he decided to make his   
  
words count, but first the take over.   
  
Shuuichi had decided to stroll to the park, how convenient, more specifically the   
  
botanical gardens. What was he up to, Kurama could not decide it could have been mere   
  
coincidence though he could sense Hiei near by, much further into the park, just a little   
  
shy of the B class Shuuichi's perception. This was, by far way to convenient. He did not   
  
recall Shuuichi being in contact with the Jao Ensatsu master, and why was he here and   
  
not in the Makai, maybe it was mere coincidence. Either way he was not going to let his   
  
warden sense Hiei without first being in full control.  
  
Shuuichi seemed to be distracted; the warden was held captive by the beauty of the   
  
pale moonlight caressing the silken petals of the tulips held with in the botanical gardens.  
  
The ningen never saw him coming, that or he wanted to loose control. Kurama decided it was  
  
the former, as he could not perceive a logical reason as to why his captor would want him   
  
in control. There is a small dimming of the moonlight as an opaque mist forms around the   
  
red haired vessel. Dark youki swirls crackling around his form as it begins increase quickly   
  
in height, his hair length increasing in accord with his body, the red color fading quickly   
  
becoming a light silvery gray. His ears sink into the sides of his head as two furry triangles   
  
begin to slide their way through his silvery locks twitching slightly in their new found freedom.  
  
His tail begins to manifest, he finds this most uncomfortable as the ningen's pants always   
  
seemed to get into the way of this. This would be rectifies as the ningen's clothing started   
  
to vanish much to his relief. As the ningen clothing melts into the ethereal abyss, his youki  
  
wraps itself tightly over his slender body manifesting itself into a white tunic, there is a   
  
bright glow as it finalizes and the loose cloth like energy hangs from his limbs. He gives his  
  
tail a good wag content now that it is no longer bunched up in a pair of snug fitting khakis.  
  
  
  
"Surely," he thought, "Hiei would have sensed that, how could he not?" His suspicion was  
  
confirmed as he sensed the Jaganshi rapidly approaching. He knew it would not take long for   
  
him to be upon him, but he couldn't help but be slightly nervous. It bothered him that Hiei   
  
was here and not in the Makai, what could be so important to draw the Youkai away from the   
  
border. He was not going to bother the short one with idle chitchat, he had much more important  
  
things to concern himself with at this particular moment.  
  
Before he could react he sensed the Jaganshi's energy come to a halt slightly above him.  
  
He kept his faculties in check, and glanced up into a near by tree pinpointing the source, a  
  
light swish of his tail betrays his slight annoyance with the male Koorime. Golden hues locked  
  
with ruby ones, a clash of egos perhaps, no it was merely youkai etiquette. This uncomfortable   
  
silence ended with the small youkai decending from his branch landing softly on the ground a   
  
few feet from the silver haired captive, the gingitsune's eyes not leaving the youkai for a   
  
second.  
  
"It pleases me to see you in your true form Kurama." Simply stated not revealing anything  
  
in his tone, the Jaganshi tilts his head up slightly so he can keep eye contact with the silver  
  
haired youkai. It was habit more than anything, though. Courtesy was not one of the things that  
  
mattered most to this particular youkai.  
  
"I have a question for you Hiei, if you care to listen. Do you know anything of duel   
  
inhabitation of souls within one vessel?" He knows he could have worded that better, but it   
  
served its purpose. He merely observed Hiei waiting for a reply to come, he did not have to   
  
wait long.  
  
"I do not have time for this Kurama, If you wish to expel the youkai.." Hiei did not have   
  
time to finish that statement before Kurama interrupted him, very much out of the character that  
  
Shuuichi had painted for the Jaganshi within the Makai.  
  
"Not exactly. I merely wish freedom from this human shell, to do that I must escape it, or   
  
expel the other soul. There is no other way. Do you know a method to accomplish this, Jaganshi?"   
  
Kurama's arms fold themselves over his chest as slender fingers tap against the flesh of his   
  
arms, his golden hues narrow slightly, truly he was a patient person, but time was not on his   
  
side. He had until dawn, if he was lucky, before Shuuichi once again took him over.   
  
"Hn.." The Jaganshi smirks and as Kurama did folded his arms over his chest, in retort to   
  
Kurama before he turns to walk away from the fox dropping his arms at his sides before throwing  
  
in one last retort. "Ask Koenma. I, on the other hand, do not have time to get involved in   
  
someone else's problem."   
  
"One last thing, Do not believe what Shuuichi says about not remembering anything." With   
  
that, he dashes off full throttle. He only had until dawn to reach Koenma. Since he was not   
  
invited to the realm, he feared not making it before he lost control to Shuuichi.  
  
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~Thank you All for your Reviews on Chapter one, and I'll keep your advise in mind Fey Wind. I hope you enjoyed chapter three. I'll be sure to keep with the updates!  
  
Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox  
  
Konada Mikari 


	4. Chapter 3 The Issue at Hand

Glossary:  
  
Jubaan Shopping District. - A highly popular shopping area in Tokyo.  
  
Ecomancer- One who has the ability to effect an aspect of the ecology around them.  
  
In Kurama's case he has the ability to control plants.  
  
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He was swiftly running along the River Styx panicking slightly, he only had two   
  
hours to make it the entire way to the office of the "toddler" Koenma. He wasn't quite   
  
certain if he was going to make it. It was then something snapped him out of his thoughts   
  
and he looked up at a somewhat familiar sight.  
  
The ferry girl, Botan was smiling down at him ridding her oar. She seemed to have a   
  
passenger in the form of an elderly man. There was nothing overtly special about the   
  
man, other than his hands were sliding up the blue haired pilots waist, only to be cut off   
  
by a sharp elbow jab to the spirit's stomach. Kurama could only sigh and shake his head   
  
then a thought hit him.  
  
"Botan, would you transport me to Koenma.........please." He tried to feign a   
  
Shuuichiesque smile, but his heart wasn't into deception at the moment, merely the   
  
prospect of freedom. The Blue haired woman merely quirked a brow, and gained a look   
  
of utter curiosity.  
  
"Are you feeling alright Kurama?" Before she even realized it he was already   
  
seated behind the spirit of the deceased senior citizen. Botan merely jumped from shock.  
  
"Yes, but please hurry, I don't have much time." The fox sounded tired, the drain   
  
on him to pull of this act of rebellion was wearing at him quickly and it didn't help him   
  
that Shuuichi was furious.  
  
Botan merely grumbles under her breath that she didn't agree, but decided to take   
  
him anyway. It was only a short five-minute ride with her flying at full speed. Kurama   
  
gripped the hand of the spirit as it held on to the oar for dear un-life, flapping in the   
  
breeze with a look of utter fear in his eyes.  
  
The fairy girl went through the tedious act of announcing herself at the two great   
  
doors of the palace. Though these inside were baffled briefly at the rapid succession of   
  
the announcements. What they didn't know was Kurama, not wanting to waste time had   
  
grabbed both Botan and the spirit, and raced down the halls with them in tow. After all   
  
was said and done, and paperwork having been filled out, he had a mere thirty-five   
  
minutes left to plead his case with Koenma. He could only assume thirty-five, though he   
  
was uncertain at how much longer he could keep the furious Shuuichi at bay.  
  
"Ah Kurama, what brings you here? I'm quite busy." The toddler was rapidly   
  
stamping individual sheets of paper, there were massive stacks to both sides of him and   
  
he showed no sign of stopping anytime soon.  
  
"I wish to either disembody Shuuichi from this body, or disembody myself from   
  
this body and take one that isn't inhabited." Plain and to the point, he did not have time to   
  
mess around with colorful language, his eyes were calm, but despite all of his control, the   
  
golden hues hinted at desperation.  
  
"WHAT?!" The toddler's eyes shone in pure shock, as his pacifier slowly drops   
  
from his mouth his stamp stopped on the paper its on before a loud thud to the right of the   
  
demi-god echoes throughout the room. Yes the mighty ogre has fainted upon hearing the   
  
gingitsune's words.  
  
The toddler takes a moment to recover before coughing and trying to keep a   
  
professional appearance. There is a slight poof of fog around him before he reappears in   
  
his older form. The fox's thoughts beamed in optimism at this, unlike his warden who   
  
was quite irritated with the notion of being kicked out of a body that was his to begin with.  
  
"I was under the assumption that this was a merger, and a merger cannot be undone.   
  
Am I to understand this is in fact a duel inhabitation of souls?" The now teenage Koenma   
  
inquired. This was very important, because if such was the case, Shuuichi had been lying   
  
about all the times he transformed into the demon form, and perhaps other things   
  
concerning the silver fox.  
  
"Indeed......agh......." That was all he was able to get out before his mind   
  
screamed in pain as Shuuichi began to wash over him. This was obvious as now he was   
  
on the floor clutching his head, as his hair began to flicker from pure red, to silver once   
  
more. His reversion back seemed perhaps a little more violent that what had been   
  
witnessed priory by the demi-god, in his observation of the legendary thief.   
  
Ever since these transformations had begun, Koenma had been keeping tabs on the   
  
boy to be certain that he did not slip back to his prior life style. Mostly Koenma had spent   
  
countless hours watching the silver fox think, keeping to himself, and on numerous   
  
occasions mix various plants into potions and ingesting them. One time stuck out in the   
  
demi-god's mind distinctly.  
  
It had been a year ago, the silver fox had been out, but he seemed to have a look of   
  
determination in his eyes before his image became a blur on his monitor. He had lost him,   
  
though a half hour later he was able to relocate the youkai standing on the top of a tall   
  
skyscraper in the middle of the Jubaan shopping district. He had peered over the edge   
  
once, before stepping away silently strolling to the middle of the roof. He sat down,   
  
without a word and took out a rather colorful seed from his hair, Koenma at the time had   
  
no idea what type of seed it was, and it was at that moment Botan had entered his office.   
  
He asked Botan what Kurama had in his hand, the blue haired girl to one glance at the   
  
seed, screeched something about poison, and was out of his office before the toddler   
  
could blink an eye. Kurama had stared at the seed for quite some time before the fox had   
  
tried to eat the seed, only to have his had smacked with the oar. If Botan had gotten there   
  
any later...  
  
"What happened, where am I?" Shuuichi asked innocently enough, still dazed by   
  
his hurried take over. He slowly sits up on the floor, his left hand drawn to his aching   
  
head, still not having opened his eyes.  
  
This was enough to snap the Teenage Koenma out of his thoughts. It all made sense   
  
now, why Kurama's personality was completely different with both forms; why one form   
  
could remember everything, but the other could not, and why the silver fox had tried to   
  
become a permanent resident of the Rei-kai.  
  
"Botan, detain Shuuichi. He is not to return to the Ningenkai without my consent."   
  
Botan nervously nods her head and proceeds to walk towards Shuuichi, only to have him   
  
run by her, push her down, and dash out the door.  
  
"Damn it! Botan Go get Yusuke tell him what's going on! Kurama, no Shuuichi   
  
must be apprehended!" He yelled at his errand girl before delivering a message over the   
  
public announcement System.  
  
"ATTENTION! KOENMA SPEAKING. WE HAVE AN ESCAPEE, RED HAIR GREEN EYES AVERAGE HEIGHT, HE MAY METAMORPH INTO A TALL MAN SILVER HAIR, GOLDEN EYES FOX EARS AND A TAIL OR A SILVER KITSUNE. THIS ECOMANCER IS CONSIDERED EXTREMLY DANGEROUS. APPREHEND AT ONCE. THAT IS ALL."   
  
He closes the PA line, sighing softly before he goes back to his paper work stamping   
  
away as the red alert sirens go off. This was not good the toddler thought.....not good at   
  
all.  
  
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~ Read Review......You know the drill. With out reviews I don't know how you are liking the story. So please, and the flames, are instantly added to my fireplace to keep me all nice and warm. Really I value criticism as much as I do praise.  
  
Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
Konada Mikari 


	5. Chapter 4 Shuuichi on the Lamb

Glossary:  
  
Gaki Dama - A green ball that has the ability to remove souls from still living bodies, while it favors children, any soul can be removed. (Orb of Baast in the Dub)  
  
JSDF - Japanese Special Defense Force - Military Police, Kurama states this As a Joke that Shuuichi is so loud that he can be heard in the Ningenkai.  
  
Rei-kai Daihatsu Kan - Spirit World Great Building  
  
Shinigami - God of death  
  
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~~Chapter 4 Shuuichi on the Lamb.~~  
  
"ATTENTION! KOENMA SPEAKING. WE HAVE AN ESCAPEE, RED HAIR GREEN EYES AVERAGE HEIGHT; HE MAY METAMORPH INTO A TALL MAN SILVER HAIR, GOLDEN EYES FOX EARS AND A TAIL OR A SILVER KITSUNE. THIS ECOMANCER IS CONSIDERED EXTREMLY DANGEROUS. APPREHEND AT ONCE. THAT IS ALL."  
  
Frantic footsteps sound through the halls of the Rei-kai Daihatsu Kan; no, it was a   
  
Fortress of the dead. The sirens screeching in his ears, were reminding him   
  
constantly of his predicament. How could he not see what that fox was planning,   
  
didn't he have control? The sound of laughter rings in the back of his mind, mocking   
  
him. Damn that fox, he was enjoying every moment of this. He never expected Koenma to   
  
turn on him so quickly especially after all they were through together; if he had then he would   
  
have forced control much sooner. He was certain he was going the correct way, until he met a   
  
wall. He quickly turned around to come face to face with seven security apparitions.  
  
"Halt. Come quietly and we will not use force." There was a hint of fear in the red   
  
apparition's voice. Red, that was all that Shuuichi could tell about this apparition, for other   
  
than their gaunt hands, no part of them was visible beyond the black fabric draped over them.   
  
Surely it was these that gave Botan the reputation of being a skeleton in black robes.  
  
"I'm sorry, I cannot be captured just yet." Like hell he was going to get dragged off by   
  
these apparitions.  
  
He quickly reaches into his hair to draw out his rose. He always kept one there, sound   
  
advice from his good "friend" the fox. What he didn't expect was the amount of energy he had   
  
to expend to transform the bloom into his trademark rose whip. The hand that held the whip   
  
shook as his eyes went wide. Why had it taken so much energy to form the weapon that he   
  
has drawn several times?  
  
"Oh.....I can answer that" the voice in his mind, that fox, spoke to him in a teasing   
  
mocking tone that caused Shuuichi to grit his teeth together.   
  
It clearly distracted the red haired young man, and the Skeletons were quick to take   
  
advantage of it. Several had gripped onto his arms, forcing the Ningen to drop the whip. With   
  
out the energy of its user it flashes briefly reverting back into the rose from whence it came.   
  
Shuuichi quickly regains his senses, thrusting his left foot into the one that heal his left arm,   
  
sending it crashing back into the wall. The sickening sound of crunching bones resounds   
  
throughout the room, as his left hand his balled up, knocked into the skull of the one holding   
  
his other hand captive. Causing the release of his other appendage. Knowing he could not take   
  
the remaining ones on alone, especially since there seemed something amiss with his abilities,   
  
he swiftly leaps over the remaining four, loosing some material from the front of his white shirt   
  
to a white skeletal hand. "Must be the one that started the grim reaper rumors." he thought as   
  
he soared above them. He then dashes down the halls, knowing the fox knew his way, but   
  
unfortunately he was not paying attention when he let him steal the Ankoku Kyou for him two   
  
years ago.  
  
"Now, what do you mean you know." He spoke it as a command and not a question, he   
  
was not in the mood, his voice was loud, alerting other apparitions of his presence. He   
  
certainly was not the "Legendary Thief" that he held captive. Before long he had several of the   
  
skeletal apparitions hot on his tail.  
  
"Now now Shuuichi, if you spoke any louder you would have JSDF on your tail. All I'm   
  
saying is I have pulled my energy back to me, a strenuous effort on my part, but I must   
  
recover from that little beating you gave me. You're on your own kid." More malicious laughter   
  
in the back of the Redhead's mind and he felt a cold chill run down his spine.   
  
Shuuichi could feel it, he didn't know that Kurama could do that. Crap, he was reduced to   
  
his own spirit power, and he wasn't quite certain how much he had. But he knew how to   
  
manipulate plants still; that was something to go on, but it took so much strength to manifest   
  
that whip. He would have to conserve his power and use it when he had to.  
  
He rounds the corner as the voice in his head falls silent, chuckling here and there at   
  
every little mistake that he made. Despite the laughter he had been doing quite well,   
  
apparently he remembered some things. He had made it to the network nucleus where the   
  
entry paperwork was filled out, there were several ogres bustling about transporting   
  
paperwork, taking phone calls.   
  
A small red and black ogre, a female of average height, a singular horn upon her   
  
forehead caught sight of the escapee. She was dressed in practical office attire, with a pair of   
  
glasses upon her face. She let out a horrified screech that caused everyone to stop what he or   
  
she was doing.   
  
The next thing anyone saw was everyone trying to gather the paperwork, and transport it   
  
to safety, while the ones taking calls were now paging security. There was a great amount of   
  
horrified screams as Shuuichi calmly strode through the area towards the first of the double   
  
doors that lead to the outside.  
  
It was this sound that caused a young black haired man, dressed in a pair of slightly snug   
  
yet loose fitting blue jeans and a white T shirt, to dash down the great hallway towards the   
  
second of the double doors. The Dark haired man had wrapped his hand around the wrist of   
  
his companion, the blue haired woman in a dark blue Kimono, Botan, dragging her to the   
  
second door.  
  
"Open it Botan." The reluctant, yet eager man bunched his balled up right fist, into the   
  
open palm of his left hand.  
  
"Emergency override, Botan. Password Shinigami." The doors slide open to a chaotic   
  
scene that did not look good for the red-haired Shuuichi.   
  
Several of the Ogres were trying to bar his path to the door as it slid open. Shuuichi,   
  
despite loosing Kurama's support in combat, was doing a rather sufficient job of knocking   
  
them out by either throwing them across the great room, or simply beating the crap out of   
  
them. There were several behind him that were severely injured. It did not appear that he   
  
killed any of them, though there were a few that it was questionable if they would survive.  
  
"Kurama, what are you doing?!" The dark haired man angrily yelled at the red haired   
  
man; the fire in Yusuke's eyes was clearly burning.  
  
"Yusuke, that's not Kurama remember. Its Shuuichi." The blue haired woman whispered   
  
into Yusuke's ear.  
  
During the trip, she had informed him of everything that had happened in Koenma's   
  
office. Yusuke was still having difficulty accepting that fact. But it was true, as he soon   
  
realized that Kurama, or Shuuichi as he realized really was doing this.  
  
"Shuuichi, why are you...." That was all Yusuke could get out before he realized Shuuichi   
  
was dashing straight for him. It took very little effort on the Taiyoukai's part to dash forward   
  
at the on comer, ball up his fist and deal a rather devastating blow to the boy's stomach. Had   
  
Shuuichi truly had Kurama's power he would have been able to shake it off, but Kurama took   
  
that away, and the Shuuichi met darkness.   
  
"I guess, your right Botan. Wow, Where do we take him then?" Yusuke blinks his eyes in   
  
sheer disbelief looking down at the Unconscious form of Shuuichi Minamino.  
  
"I don't know let me find out." The blue haired errand girl blinks not having been able to   
  
follow Yusuke's actions when he knocked the boy out. She Calmly walks over to one of the   
  
phones, dialing an extension.  
  
"Who is calling me, I have to get this done! And there's an escapee on the loose!" She   
  
had to pull the phone away from her ear as the toddler begins yelling through the other side.  
  
"Heh, it's me Botan, Yusuke stopped him, but what do you want done?" She nervously   
  
speaks into the phone, she could only imagine the wrath that Enma is going to deal to the   
  
toddler when he finds out about this.  
  
"Bring him to my office, Bring rope." The toddler hangs up the phone sighing briefly.  
  
Hey Ogre! Get Up and get me some asprin!" He angrily looked down at the floor next to him.   
  
Truly this whole ordeal has given him a massive headache.  
  
"Yes, Koenma Sir!" By some miracle, that or the Ogre had been playing possum   
  
the whole time, he gets up and frantically runs out of the office towards the infirmary   
  
to fill the demi-god's request.  
  
"Now things should start getting very interesting." He pushes a button on his   
  
phone, a deep feminine voice sounds through asking him for his request.   
  
"Yes, when Botan returns with the Prisoner, you and her are to go to the vault   
  
and retrieve the Gaki Dama." A gasp from her before she confirms his Order and   
  
disconnects.  
  
"Now, how am I going to do this...." He places the stamp on the ink pad and   
  
slips into silent contemplation.  
  
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~I would thank My Faithful Reader Fey Wind for her Kind words, and Vulpine-chan for giving me an Idea from the Title of this Chapter. Yes I'll even thank all though who are reading and not reviewing, for reading! But please, Read and Review so I know you're out there!  
  
Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
Konada Mikari 


	6. Chapter 5 The Jaganshi, the Taiyoukai, ...

Glossary:  
  
Ankoku no Takara - Artifacts of Darkness  
  
Kuro - The color black  
  
Neko - Cat  
  
Rei-kai Tantei - Spirit Detective  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
~Chapter 5 The Jaganshi, The Taiyoukai, and the Ball  
  
"Hn.." The Jaganshi smirked, and as Kurama had, he folded his arms over his chest   
  
before he turned to walk away from the fox. He had dropped his arms at his sides before his   
  
final comment. "Ask Koenma. I, on the other hand, do not have time to get involved in   
  
someone else's problem."   
  
"One last thing, Do not believe what Shuuichi says about not remembering anything."   
  
The fox had then turned away left him there alone to ponder his words.  
  
What had that fox meant by saying that last night? The Jaganshi stood atop a building in   
  
the Shinjuku District, glancing down in search of a single ningen that he had yet to locate. It   
  
more annoyed him, that this particular ningen had disregarded his obligations to his   
  
predecessor, rather than the sheer fact that he had to locate him. What did it matter; he   
  
would find him regardless though it would seem he would now have to ask around. His Jagan   
  
failing to locate his Rei-ki, he had no alternative.  
  
He began to search out the nearest familiar energy. Upon locating it he grit his teeth   
  
together truly that energy would be as a last resort. He may have been desperate to find   
  
Raizen's successor, but he was not so desperate as to ask Kuwabara first.   
  
He had thought of asking Keiko, but he doubted he would get a truly honest answer from   
  
the woman, he doubted she would know given Yusuke's track record of keeping her informed.   
  
Still it was worth a try he focused on locating the human woman, and found a particularly   
  
strong Rei-ki, well as strong as any pathetic ningen's Rei-ki could be, near her. He assumed it   
  
to be Shizuru's, the female was in actuality a little more powerful than that imbecilic brother of   
  
hers, and perhaps more tolerable.  
  
He immediately dashed in that direction, though it was uncomfortably close to the   
  
location that that imbecile was in. He knew in the back of his head he would have to put up   
  
with him as well.  
  
"Keiko, we've been all over the district, he's not here." Shizuru plainly stated; her brown   
  
eyes look down at the smaller woman. She couldn't help but sympathize with the younger   
  
woman, however it was obvious that Yusuke was nowhere to be found.  
  
"I guess your right Shizuru, but seriously why can't he ever tell me where he's going? He   
  
was supposed to meet me at the park! He's just......Just..... so unreliable!" The irritation in   
  
Keiko's voice dripped venomously upon each word. She was very angry with the boy, this was   
  
not the first, nor in her mind, last time he stood her up as such.  
  
"Well, I guess we'll just have to beat him down when we find..." Shizuru did not have the   
  
opportunity to finish her sentence when a slightly taller man, with natural red hair sneaks up   
  
behind her.  
  
"Hey sis! Did you..." Nor did the red haired Kuwabara before his words are cut of by a   
  
swift sucker punch to the side of his face by Shizuru. She has a slightly angered look to her   
  
before her eyes widen as she slowly pulls her hand back.  
  
"You should know better than to sneak up on me baby brother. Any way Keiko gets the   
  
first punch when we find Yusuke. Isn't that right Keiko?" Shizuru looks over at the angered   
  
adolescent female. Keiko opens her mouth to speak, but some one beats her reply.  
  
"That will be mine." A small shadowy figure drops from the streetlight the trio was   
  
standing under. Truly Hiei was the last person they had all expected to see. As the Jaganshi   
  
predicted, it was Kuwabara who first spoke.  
  
"Hey shrimp, what do you mean you get the first punch?" Kuwabara narrows his eyes,   
  
glaring at the much shorter Jaganshi, before his older sister promptly hits him behind the   
  
head. This action brought a small smirk to his lips.  
  
"Shut up baby brother. Hiei, what brings you here? I thought you couldn't stand the   
  
Ningenkai." She looks down with a bored, yet somewhat stoic look about her. It perhaps was   
  
one of the reasons he tolerated her, she clearly was not as emotional as her younger sibling.  
  
"Hn. Rather than ask a question that I already know the answer to. I'm only going to say   
  
this. If we find Botan, we'll inevitably find Yusuke." He had heard their we can't find Yusuke   
  
Conversation, there for he found it pointless to ask them where he was. It also seemed that   
  
with the exception of his travels within the Makai, the bubby blue haired apparition seemed to   
  
be locked into his location.  
  
"Well what are we waiting for, you demon get us to Rei-kai!" Keiko had all but grabbed   
  
on to the Jaganshi's clothing, though her face was inches from his. It took a great deal of his   
  
willpower to not draw his katana and swiftly remove her head from her body. Though his ruby   
  
red spheres locked on to hers and quickly wore down that aggression. She then realized what   
  
she was doing and quickly jumped back, hiding behind Shizuru.   
  
"Hn. Why should I?" Bluntly asked as he turns his back on them. Shizuru merely   
  
smirked as she walked up to Hiei leaning down to whisper something into his ear. His eyes   
  
when wide before he looks at her.  
  
"You wouldn't!" He looks at the woman in disbelief, but is greeted by a sage nod form   
  
the elder Shizuru Kuwabara. He grits his teeth together, but finally gives in.  
  
"Fine as long as you tell me how you have come to know that." Hiei growled this more as   
  
a command than a request. Shizuru nods her head, as Hiei plots Botan's slow and painful   
  
demise. It seemed obvious that Botan's friend learned it from her.  
  
"If you take me I'll think about it." She removes from her shirt pocket, a pack of   
  
Marlboro Special Blend 27, boxed not the soft pack. Drawing one out of the package, she   
  
brings it to her lips before she searches her pants pocket for a lighter  
  
"Fine." Turning away from the group he begins to walk towards the subway station. Yes,   
  
the Jaganshi has now acquired a sizable headache. Oh well, he would take out his frustration   
  
on the buffoon if need be.   
  
The bubbly blue haired apparition had just returned with Yusuke and the unconscious   
  
form of Shuuichi Minamino when the secretary outside of Koenma's office greeted her. This   
  
secretary had always been a nuisance to the ferry girl. So prim, so proper, so utterly annoying   
  
even the sound of her high-pitched feline voice drove her crazy.  
  
"Koenma has requested you accompany me Botan. Yusuke Urameshi, Koenma will see   
  
you now." The charcoal spheres of the short black cat apparition glance coldly at the Rei-kai   
  
Tantei. As usual he gets this look of dread over his features, even though the secretary is a   
  
mid B class youkai, he couldn't help it for some reason. The Feline slips herself out of the   
  
plush leather office chair gripping Botan by the wrist and dragging her down a secret hallway,   
  
known by only a few of the residents and guards of the palace. Yusuke shrugs his shoulders   
  
before he sighs walking behind the secretary's desk and pushing the trigger that opens the   
  
door to the office.  
  
"Ok Koenma, now what? I know this is important and all but I should have told Keiko   
  
where I was going. She's probably hella pissed of at me for standing her up." Speaking in   
  
more of irritated tone than anything else, he can already hear Keiko screaming at him.  
  
"Simple, Put him in that chair and tie him down, then we wait for Botan and Kuroneko to   
  
return with the object I requested." The Toddler meekly stated never ceasing in his paper   
  
work. George, the Ogre, returned with a couple aspirin and a glass of water placing them on   
  
the desk, miraculously not spilling any on the paperwork, before he returns to his usual spot   
  
at Koenma's side, looking at Yusuke and the still unconscious Shuuichi. Yusuke looks down at   
  
the Older Boy and sighs before proceeding to tie him to the chair Koenma indicated.  
  
"I don't know what you did Shuuichi, or Kurama, or Damn I don't even know what to call   
  
you now." He gives up on his thought before securely restraining him before he looks over at   
  
the toddler.  
  
"So what is it you..."  
  
"...He asked us to get?" Botan asked of the Feline next to her. They had been walking   
  
down the hall for quite some time, and the ferry girl knew where it leads.  
  
"Since we are out of prying ears" The feline licked her lips purring slightly at the thought.  
  
"He sent us to get the Gaki Dama" Kuroneko swiftly puts her hands to her ears, fully   
  
expecting the reaction she is about to receive.  
  
"WHAT!!!!" The blue girl shouted as loud as she could, her violet eyes are as wide as   
  
they could become, and her jaw hung open. The cat youkai then removes her hands from her   
  
twin midnight black pointed ears.  
  
"It truly must be serious for his excellency to require one of the Ankoku no Takara to   
  
deal with one of his allies." She purred, which annoyed the hell out of the ferry girl.   
  
They remained silent through out the remainder of the trip to the vault though Botan   
  
now was riddled with concern for leaving both Koenma, and Yusuke alone with Shuuichi. She   
  
was also concerned with Shuuichi and Kurama not certain if she should believe Shuuichi, or   
  
Kurama's side of the story. It was too confusing, she decided to not think about it, though it   
  
bothered her greatly that this required the use of the Gaki Dama. The last time she seen it in   
  
use was by Gouki. She still had the image of children's souls being torn from their bodies, only   
  
to be consumed by the demon. It sent a chill down her spine.  
  
  
  
Koenma had declined to inform Yusuke of what he had sent the women after deciding   
  
to let him find out when it came. It had been quite silent in the office. Yusuke had been   
  
keeping an eye on the boy; George was busy removing all the plants from the room, while   
  
Koenma was busy shuffling paper work. The door to the office opened causing all three to stop   
  
their actions and look at the glowing green orb held in the hands of the black feline secretary   
  
as if it were a ball of yarn. George faints once more, Yusuke's eyes narrow upon it, while   
  
Koenma shifts to his elder form and calmly strolls towards the feline Youkai taking the ball   
  
from her.  
  
"Thank you for retrieving this from me. Kuroneko, you are dismissed and Botan bring   
  
the other two Tantei here please." Kuroneko slowly walks out of the office as Botan slowly   
  
nods her head and runs off to fulfill Koenma's request.  
  
Botan was curious as to what exactly it was that Shuuichi, or Kurama, or was it both   
  
she didn't know such things were beyond her. She knew she had to bring back Kuwabara and   
  
Hiei. Hiei, he gave her the creeps, she would defiantly seek out Kuwabara first, at least he had   
  
a sense of humor and didn't threaten to kill her.   
  
"Koenma what are you going to do with that thing?" He warily points at the Gaki   
  
Dama, its ominous glow reminding him of the night he fought Gouki. Gouki, if he fought him   
  
now, he would be child's play; that thought amused him.  
  
"Simply put, I am putting them on trial." Koenma placing orb upon his desk looks at   
  
Yusuke, it is clear in the deity's eyes that he is no happier with the situation than Yusuke.  
  
"I don't like it any more than you do Yusuke, but they've both broken Rei-kai law. It   
  
must be done. Kurama only has one charge against him Shuuichi has thirty-four in this case."   
  
The Diety states with a somber tone of voice.  
  
"Yeah and what are those." The Taiyoukai crosses his arms over his chest, Yusuke was   
  
not known for his patience, and Koenma has been dodging his questions to this point.  
  
"Alright. The Youkai Kurama is charged with one count of attempted possession of an   
  
unborn ningen vessel, a misdemeanor. The ningen Shuuichi Minamino is charged with   
  
seventeen counts of forced domination of an independent youkai soul one count per year of   
  
enslavement, one count evading arrest, and fifteen counts of assault and battery against those   
  
employed within the Rei-kai Daihatsu Kan. To stand trial they will both be separated from the   
  
body." Koenma cants his head looking over at the still out cold form of Shuuichi as does   
  
Yusuke wide eyed. All Yusuke could do is lean against the wall and wait.  
  
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~There you go all nice and updated for your reading pleasure. Once again, Thank you all my dedicated readers! I will try to get the updates out a little sooner than this last one.  
  
Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
Konada Mikari 


	7. Chapter 6 Spirit Games

Glossary :  
  
Ankoku Bujutsukai - Dark Tournement  
  
Ki - Energy  
  
Rei-ki - Spirit Energy  
  
Youki - Demon energy  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 6 - Spirit Games  
  
"Alright. The Youkai Kurama is charged with one count of attempted possession of an   
  
unborn ningen vessel, a misdemeanor. The ningen Shuuichi Minamino is charged with   
  
seventeen counts of forced domination of an independent youkai soul one count per year of   
  
enslavement, one count evading arrest, and fifteen counts of assault and battery against those   
  
employed within the Rei-kai Daihatsu Kan. To stand trial they will both be separated from the   
  
body."  
  
"You hear that, you're more troublesome than I.." The fox smugly relayed to his warden   
  
who's essence surrounded his nearly smothering him completely. Kurama had pulled himself   
  
into a defensive ball allowing Shuuichi to completely surround him as he had prior to the   
  
Ankoku Bujutsukai. In this state he could no longer seize control of the ningen body. It disturbed   
  
him a little, but the fact that Koenma had stated they were to be separated for the trials brought  
  
him great relief. It would not be long before he fully recover his spirit power, a feat that would be  
  
accelerated once he no longer had to expend energy to defend himself against the aggressive  
  
soul.  
  
"Hardly, I believe it is you that is the greater burden beast." Shuuichi arrogantly states as he   
  
coils his essence around the defensive sphere created by the youkai soul. He would make that   
  
youkai submit, or he would destroy him while he still could. Submission suited him better, as he  
  
would loose a great deal of power without the youkai's presence not that he hasn't already, but  
  
he would loose his source. He simply could not allow that.  
  
"Who is the greater beast, the youkai or the ningen enslaving the youkai siphoning energy  
  
never intended for a weak-minded race? You are no better than Toguro." He pushes back with  
  
his essence harshly to make it clear he would not submit anytime soon. It was clear he had been  
  
pushed around long enough.  
  
This greatly angered Shuuichi as he pushes his essence as Kurama defends his self using a  
  
great deal of his energy in the exploit. The physical effects were obvious as the vessel, the body  
  
of Shuuichi Minamino, begins to convulse as both vivid blue Rei-ki begins swirling about the form  
  
being immediately cut of by weak jet black youki. It is obvious that the dark energy has no hope   
  
of overpowering the native Rei-ki, it seemed like a last ditch effort at survival as the energy is easily  
  
enveloped by the blue Rei-ki.  
  
"KOENMA! Separate them now hurry!" The shocked, and desperate voice of Yusuke shouts  
  
over to the teenage Koenma who is currently standing there fumbling with the Gaki dama in a   
  
desperate haste He had not planned on separating them so soon, but it seemed if he did not he   
  
would only have one defendant. He could not allow that to occur in his office.  
  
"I'm working on it Yusuke." Koenma managed to state in a calm tone as he aims the Gaki Dama  
  
at its target. He sends a small potion of his own regal Rei-ki into the ball causing it to glow more   
  
vividly that it had prior. It was clear that one of the souls would be leaving the body. The question   
  
being, which did it ensnare. They both observed the body as both the blue Rei-ki, and the black   
  
Youki had vanished and the body once more went limp.  
  
"Damn, I can't hold him off any longer...."  
  
"I have you now, fox......"  
  
"I have to survive. I can't lose when I am so close to being free.."  
  
"You will never be free...."  
  
"I... What? What's that?"  
  
"Do not think I will fall for something so..."   
  
A funnel of deep emerald hued energy swirls around the small defensive sphere that held the   
  
silver fox. It shielded him from the onslaught that the ningen was unleashing upon him. He took   
  
what equivocated a deep breath. This was obviously the work of the Gaki Dama though he   
  
lamented in the fact that it was he who was removed still there was nothing he could do about  
  
it at this point. He relaxed his energy enough for the emerald energy to ensnare his essence   
  
drawing him from the body in a small ethereal form no more in size than one of the various   
  
pieces of paper that littered the desk of Koenma.  
  
He looks around in this form, it was the body of Shuuichi Minamino, and how he wanted   
  
to shred it into ribbons at this particular moment especially given its current resident. He was  
  
not in any form to do so. He saw himself approaching the Gaki Dama, his new prison he  
  
surmised. It turned out that it would not be as such as the Teenage Koenma cuts off his energy  
  
flow to the sphere leaving the disembodied Kurama to float in the middle of the room. Kurama   
  
was surprised, could they tell who was where, or where they merely that trusting. Either way he  
  
didn't care, he just floated there in that ethereal form gathering his energy once more; that last   
  
battle had left him rather drained.  
  
"So Koenma, which one is it?" Yusuke points at the floating soul, not able to discern its energy.  
  
It felt weak though gaining in energy. He was genuinely curious as to which it was.  
  
"To be honest? I don't know." This brought a rather large anime Sweat drop to the left side of  
  
Yusuke's head and a look of sheer shock. Before Yusuke could say a single word, Koenma continued.  
  
"It most likely is Kurama's soul. It has made no effort to flee, and the body has not transfigured  
  
into Youko Kurama's image. I am certain had Youko Kurama had remained in the body, the opposite  
  
would be true. The soul would have booked it and the body would have changed." Yusuke scratched  
  
the back of his head accepting the Demi-god's explanation for now. Despite his years in service to   
  
Koenma, he has learned surprisingly little.  
  
"Ok, um Hi Kurama?" Yusuke nonchalantly waves at the floating essence. Kurama wishes he   
  
had shoulders to shrug at this moment but does not. He merely forces the movement of his energy  
  
to lower and raise himself to acknowledge the fact that Yusuke spoke to him. It made the Tantei  
  
smirk causing the ambiguous pile of disembodied youkai energy to psuedo smirk at least wish he  
  
could. He was under his own control; it felt great even though he was not complete, physically.   
  
Something, or someone stirred in the chair next to Yusuke. The groan was low, who ever was  
  
within the body seemed completely disoriented. The red haired boy seemed paler than usual. What   
  
grabbed Yusuke's attention was the image that reflected in his eyes. The eyes were not sweet, or   
  
kind. They weren't even stern. The merely focused themselves upon the floating energy in the middle  
  
of the room with a certain disgust held within them.  
  
"You think you have won do you not? Do you think a thief as yourself will walk away from this  
  
place with a mere slap on the wrist?" Shuuichi smirked disarmingly at the floating energy speaking  
  
out load despite the other two occupants of the room listening to those callous words were seemingly   
  
uncharacteristic of the red haired boy. It did make Kurama think for a moment, but he eventually  
  
brushed it off. Makai law was separate from Rei-kai law in that The Makai dealt with its own crimes  
  
in their own manner. Even so, it was more to his advantage to stay as apposed to flee, as he truly   
  
was the innocent party in this and he had a small spark of faith in the toddler paper pusher, though  
  
his mind still contained doubt as to whether or not he would have another flesh and blood form. Only  
  
time would tell.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
~Work work work, As much as I'd like to get these chapters out faster than what I have, I need to find some time to sleep. As I am writing this author's note, my consiousness is slipping away. So this went up as is. I did read over it, but my proofreading skills are near extinction in this state. Well send a review and let me know how well you like, or hate, or are apathetic towards my work. As this was being put up there have been ninteen Reviews from my readers, and I have found I have three dedicated readers. My thanks to Fey Wind, HieitheSwordsman, and Vulpine-chan (Vulpine Beauty) for putting up with this insomniac Author, and I promises to update as often as I can. I still have been pushing out a couple a week, not to bad given my work schedual.  
  
Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
Konada Mikari 


	8. Chapter 7 The Grim Reaper and the Four ...

~Chapter 7 The Grim Reaper and the Four Inquisitors  
  
"Hiei? Are you sure this is the right way!" Keiko yelled at the black haired apparition that   
  
was leading them towards one of the entryways to the Rei-kai. They were sacred sites most of   
  
them some more concealed than others were. This was one of the off ones. It made one think   
  
of the sanctity of the Rei-kai was merely a facade. They had some how ended up walking through the   
  
red light district much to the dismay of the humans in the group.  
  
"Quiet Keiko or I'll leave you here alone. I think he's looking for a new girl." The Jaganshi   
  
points to a rather homely looking man dressed in a fine black Armani suit. He was encircled by   
  
a group of women, all of whom seemed to be quite attractive. It was clear the profession that   
  
that man dabbled in was that of a lecherous nature.  
  
"Hey don't talk to her like that shrimp or..." The next thing Kuwabara knew was the fist of   
  
Shizuru meeting the back of his head. This earned Kuwabara a scoff from Hiei, a giggle from   
  
Keiko, and the obvious bump on the back of his head by Shizuru.  
  
"He's being nice enough to take us there Keiko, though it does seem odd that there would   
  
be an entrance here. I though these places were in shrines or off in some unknown area of the   
  
wilderness.  
  
"Landmarks change." Hiei states before he stops in front of a rather decrepit building. Its   
  
front door seemed to be held up by rope. With absolutely no effort from the small youkai, he   
  
moves the door to the side before stepping into the building. He noticed a bright flash and   
  
something coming at him rather quickly and jumps to the side as the others have to duck out   
  
of the way.  
  
"Ah... so terribly sorry, I didn't see you there. Oh Just the two men I am looking for.   
  
Koenma sent me to get you two boys." They all look up at the familiar bubbly voice and notice   
  
Botan floating above them in full kimono perched upon her oar. They all look around and   
  
notice that not one person around them has noticed the actual scene. It is apparent that only   
  
they can see her.  
  
"What does that baby want with us now Botan?" Kuwabara states as everyone, including   
  
Hiei piles themselves upon Botan's oar if Koenma was looking for the Hiei and Kuwabara, then   
  
it was only logical that he has already summoned Yusuke, or that is the next place Botan was   
  
heading.  
  
"Come on now get on Kuwabara we don't have all day." The blue haired ferry girl states   
  
slightly agitated at the fact that he has yet to board. The other three stared at the red haired   
  
buffoon likewise agitated. Kuwabara then boards the Oar in front of Shizuru and directly   
  
behind Botan Sitting behind Shizuru is Keiko and standing at the end is the Jaganshi arms   
  
crossed with an apathetic look upon his face. He has now realized why he could not sense   
  
Yusuke's presence in the Ningenkai.   
  
Botan whips her oar around swiftly before flying back into the portal. The girls look down   
  
at the river Styx their eyes taking in the full disturbing, yet beautiful landscape of the Rei-kai   
  
then something dawns on Keiko.  
  
"So Yusuke is already here and I guess Kurama is here too. Do they have a new case   
  
then Botan?" Angrily states the concerned girl friend. Typical Yusuke, dumping her for the   
  
chance at a fight she was so going to yell at him when he saw him.  
  
"Well...eh...not exactly." Botan yells at her self mentally for saying that because she now   
  
knew that they would drain her of everything she knew before Koenma could tell them   
  
himself.  
  
"Spill it Botan." Shizuru firmly states. If anything, the tone of her voice would get the   
  
information out. It worked most of the time, and maybe it would work now.  
  
"Fine fine. Koenma sent me to get Yusuke because Oh how do I say this um..." She is   
  
then cut off by the voice at the end of her Oar.  
  
"He found out the truth about Shuuichi and Kurama and wished to detain them." He   
  
reveled in the fact that he seemed to be the all knowing one about the fox, though he felt it   
  
might give them the wrong impression about them. He had only known about the duel   
  
inhabitation a few days, he figured that they would think he has known for ages.  
  
"Yeah. Exactly Shuuichi ran and that is when Koenma sent me after Yusuke. I hope they   
  
are all right. I mean Yusuke caught him but Koenma sent Me and Kuroneko after the Gaki   
  
Dama." Botan's eyes get a little watery as her voice wavers. She is obviously disturbed, by the   
  
situation.  
  
"Question! What is this Gaki Dama?" Shizuru lifts her hand indicating that she is the one   
  
that spoke.  
  
"Oh its uh nothing really, just some green ball that sucks souls out of living bodies that   
  
all." Botan is now very nervous feeling she has told the girls too much.  
  
"Hey wait Botan you mean he's going to use that thing on Kurama!" Kuwabara almost   
  
stands up on the Oar before Shizuru pulls him back down. Botan almost looses Control of her   
  
oar; luckily, they are all able to hold on as she corrects her trajectory.  
  
"Shut up! No more questions until we reach Koenma-sama!" Botan angrily states, all   
  
these questions were driving her nuts. It was almost as if she were taking a toddler spirit, and   
  
even they were not as troublesome.  
  
The rest of the trip was silent as she flew into Koenma's office via its window. The five   
  
persons that were seated upon the oar treated to an eye full when they entered the office.   
  
There was Shuuichi tied to a chair his emerald eyes menacingly fixated on a loose soul in the   
  
middle of the room that now was crackling dark youki, fain true but it seemed to be building.   
  
Koenma had reverted to his toddler form and was currently working on paper work, while   
  
Yusuke was leaning on a wall not that far from Shuuichi keeping an eye on him as apposed the   
  
disenfranchised soul that seemed to be building power. George had awakened and was now   
  
standing in his typical spot watching the soul nervously.  
  
"So who is who?" Kuwabara is the first off the oar though he is perturbed by the ominous   
  
looking soul in the middle of the office. Shizuru has a similar look about her, though she is   
  
calmly walking over to the desk instead.  
  
"YUSUKE! Why didn't you at least call me? I was worried about you!" Keiko quickly   
  
removes herself from the oar grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. Shuuichi and   
  
Kuwabara remove their gazes from the soul, Shizuru turns around, and Koenma and George   
  
change their line of vision, as do Botan and Hiei. They all cringe at the loud slap across the   
  
face she gives the taiyoukai. She then smugly walks to an empty chair and sits crossing her   
  
arms over her chest and looking away angry. Everyone then returns to what they he or she   
  
were doing each making a mental note not to anger Keiko.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
~ Working on updates and all that. Well I got this finished sooner than I though I would. Well Hope you enjoyed it!  
  
Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
Konada Mikari 


	9. Chapter 8 What about Shiori?

~Chapter 8 What about Shiori?  
  
"YUSUKE! Why didn't you at least call me? I was worried about you!" Keiko quickly   
  
removes herself from the oar grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. Shuuichi and   
  
Kuwabara remove their gazes from the soul, Shizuru turns around, and Koenma and George   
  
change their line of vision, as do Botan and Hiei. They all cringe at the loud slap across the   
  
face she gives the taiyoukai. She then smugly walks to an empty chair and sits crossing her   
  
arms over her chest and looking away angry. Everyone then returns to what they he or she   
  
were doing each making a mental note not to anger Keiko.  
  
There was a great uncomfortable silence that had filled the office. Everyone seemed to   
  
be focused on his or her own agenda. Keiko was giving Yusuke a few death glares. Yusuke was   
  
watching Shuuichi uncertain about his character, Kuwabara was watching the dark energy in   
  
the middle of the office slowly taking the shape of a fox, but it was very vague though it was   
  
becoming clearer every moment that passed. The Shizuru was speaking to Botan who every   
  
few moments would glance nervously at Hiei who's ruby spheres were locked on her his lips in  
  
a defiant smirk. An after thought occurs to the handler of the great Enma's paper work and   
  
his attention is once more drawn across the room to the blue headed ferry girl.  
  
"Botan, why are Shizuru and Keiko here?" The rubber stamp does not seem to be   
  
diverted from its task of stamping papers. He really did not want the other two there at this   
  
particular moment. He had a big enough headache as is, and did not want to deal with the   
  
bickering that he knew was going to resume between Keiko and Yusuke.  
  
"Well, um...." Botan started but Shizuru jumped in for the save.  
  
"Why the hell is there an entrance to spirit world in the Red light district?" Shizuru's   
  
tone hinted at slight amusement. She currently has the mental image of the toddler in his   
  
teenage form slipping out of that rundown building and searching for a date for the night.  
  
"There used to be a shrine there, but that doesn't matter. Forget it. Kurama how are   
  
you holding up over there?" The toddler stops stamping paperwork and redirects his attention   
  
of the floating mass of dark youki in the middle of his office. There is a drawn out silence as   
  
the darkness crackles around the ethereal mass that vaguely resembled a large oversized fox.   
  
Its voice was defiantly that of Youko Kurama, deep, rich in tone similar to Hiei's in   
  
many aspects however it was smooth and devoid of the raspy ness that is caused by flesh   
  
vocal chords.  
  
"Yes... I seemed to have recovered enough of my energy to speak. When is Shuuichi's   
  
trial to occur? I already intend to plead guilty to the charge you have set for me despite my   
  
near death state at the time; Shuuichi was not lying about that." The mass of energy lightens   
  
to a silvery color upon relaying his words audibly to those around him. He began calculating   
  
the amount of time it would take for him to fully recover.  
  
"In a few days at the very least. We have to make time for the trial, the man power,   
  
not to mention the overtime involved. Not to mention the entire custody case, lets not forget   
  
about that. Who gets to keep the body after all is said and done." Koenma plainly states not   
  
bothering to cease in his paperwork. He had gotten behind and was rapidly stamping away at   
  
various contracts and forms.  
  
"Its my body not his! He tried to take it from me!" Shuuichi shouts this from his tied   
  
up position trying to break free of his bonds. Truly the human boy was getting frightened and   
  
wanted to flee. Yusuke is the first to run to the chair to try to hold the captive down followed   
  
by everyone with the exception of a short black haired Koorime that looked to the   
  
disenfranchised fox instead. It was all Kurama could do keep is laughter silent, though his   
  
color reflected that with a dark gray hue that only Hiei had caught on to due to is indifference   
  
to the panicking Shuuichi.  
  
"True, but is you who held me prisoner for all these years instead of allowing me to   
  
part company with you. It is not so much fun when you are not free to act. I have learned a   
  
great many of things from this experience. Koenma?" The spirit decended a little to be in line   
  
of both of Shuuichi and Koenma, he seemed to have something important to say.  
  
"What is it Kurama?" The toddler looks up at fox spirit with a Raised brow. The eyes of   
  
everyone shifted from the tied up red head to the floating fox.  
  
"What of Shiori? I do not desire to see her devastated by this occurrence. Truly it was   
  
the main reason I had not come sooner, but the captivity was too much for me to bear. What   
  
will become of her when she looses her son, or at least the son she has known for seventeen   
  
years?"   
  
The lightness fades from the fox spirit and Shuuichi closes his eyes, with all of the   
  
confusion going on he had totally forgotten about his mother. He wondered what she was   
  
doing right now. He had been missing for a day and a half now. She must be worried despite   
  
this is not the first time he has been missing this long. He figures she'll start panicking before   
  
the day is out.  
  
"She'll begin to panic soon, normally I would call her but given this predicament I   
  
cannot." Shuuichi reopens his eyes to look at the fox spirit his eyes carried a little relief that it   
  
was at lease somewhat concerned with the welfare of his mother.  
  
"Yes, she will Koenma perhaps you could allow Shuuichi to contact our... his.. mother   
  
before the trial begins. I.. She will not know my voice and I.." His words seemed to be broken   
  
though there was no throat for them to get stuck in, they still seemed difficult to manifest.   
  
Koenma starts to see yet another facet of this spirit, just how much of him brushed off on the   
  
ningen Shuuichi and vice versa?  
  
"Kurama you don't have to say anymore. Shuuichi have you ever thought about telling   
  
your mother about Kurama?" Koenma stands just outside of kicking range of the bound   
  
teenager.  
  
"No.. I mean how could I? Am I supposed to say oh mother guess what, I have been   
  
holding an old fox demon captive in my body for seventeen years. Humph. There was no   
  
reason to tell her." Shuuichi closes his eyes again He really did not want to word it like that,   
  
the more he dwelled on it the more the water grew in his eyes before the reservoirs over flew   
  
allowing two tears to trace down his cheeks, with out the use of his hands they trails remained   
  
for those around him to see.  
  
"Tears are unlike you Shuuichi. Having regrets, I have those still and it was not from   
  
being controlled by you. It is as Hiei once told us, those without scars on their hars must be a   
  
shallow bastard indeed. I regret those times when I myself had the opportunity to tell her.   
  
She will be very broken after this ordeal if she learns of it. Koenma, why did you ask that   
  
question? Are you intending on bringing her here as well?" His form solidifying more as time   
  
slips past, his fur almost has the appearance of fur, and his multiple tails, it was still hard to   
  
determine if he had four or five though it was four when he was nearly killed, are becoming   
  
more distinct.  
  
"There is a very strong possibility that she will be brought here. I can't say for certain   
  
yet." Koenma begins towards his desk as the spirit fox descends to the ground to stand upon   
  
it now that he nearly completed establishing a physical form. It wasn't too much but it would   
  
suffice for now, but a humanoid form was more desirable, but he would need a body for that.  
  
The fox looks over at the tied up Shuuichi, who seemed to be full of thoughts and   
  
scenarios, momentarily then back to Koenma who was now hopping into his chair. Things were   
  
looking on the up and up for him, but he knew it would be Shuuichi that Shiori would naturally   
  
sympathize with not some centuries old silver fox demon that she knew nothing about. He   
  
flicks his tails in a rippling wave motion before padding to the couch, hopping up on it next to   
  
Keiko, much to Yusuke's disapproval, and curling up on the empty cushion truly resting for the   
  
moment. He no longer needed to use the energy he gathered to build a form so he merely   
  
took a nap.  
  
"Where is he? He's been gone all night again. I hope he's alright It just not like him to   
  
not call me." Shiori Minamino despairingly looks out of her living room window. Her thoughts   
  
are filled with her son. Where is he? His he hurt? Why hasn't he called like he always did? She   
  
loved her son dearly and one could not ask for a better son, but he has been pulling these   
  
disappearing acts for as long as she could remember and for the most part he called her to let   
  
her know he was alright, but In the back of her mind she knew that something was truly   
  
wrong this time. It has been nearly two days and still her son had not called her, there was no   
  
note or anything to hint at where he may have gone. She decided to call Atsuko Urameshi to   
  
see if her son had gone to their apartment, many times her son has ended up there, not that   
  
she liked the idea of her pride and joy hanging out with that hooligan, but he seemed like a   
  
nice enough boy so she tried to pay little attention to Yusuke's reputation. Picking up the   
  
receiver she dialed the number Shuuichi had given her a couple years ago when he started to  
  
hang around the boy.   
  
She only became more worried when the highly intoxicated voice of Atsuko answered   
  
the phone. She asked if She had seen Shuuichi. The drunken woman relayed to her that some   
  
girl name Botan had taken Yusuke to the Spirit world to deal a problem with some one named   
  
Kurama. The phone was hung up only to leave Shiori dazed and confused. She then began to   
  
wonder whom this Kurama boy was, she never heard her Shuuichi speak of him before. She   
  
then dialed the number to the Kuwabara residence chuckling briefly as to how Shizuru and   
  
Atsuko looked like twins one with a fetish for alcohol, the other a chain smoker. The phone   
  
rings continually until it reaches an answering Machine.  
  
"Yes this is Shiori Minamino, Shuuichi's mother if you see my Son can you please   
  
please have him call me. Thank you." She hangs up the phone now panicing slightly. What has   
  
happened to her baby boy?  
  
The front door to the residence opens and Shori glances at the entry hall way. It is her   
  
husband, Hanataka, and his child Shuuichi. It was funny how they managed to name their   
  
children the same name. She decided if she had another child she would not give him or her   
  
such a common name.  
  
"You didn't find him did you?" Shiori looked at the disappointed faces of her family   
  
before she cants her head and looks out of the window worried sick. She had already called   
  
the police who had merely informed her that the person must be missing for a week before   
  
they would bother looking for them.  
  
She turned way from the window choosing a place on the couch to sit. Her son was   
  
missing and all she had the power to do was sit and wait for something to happen.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
~ 


	10. Chapter 9 Please Don't Cry

~Chapter 9 Please Don't Cry.  
  
"You didn't find him did you?" Shiori looked at the disappointed faces of her family   
  
before she cants her head and looks out of the window worried sick. She had already called   
  
the police who had merely informed her that the person must have been missing for a week before they would bother looking for them.  
  
She turned way from the window choosing a place on the couch to sit. Her son was   
  
missing and all she had the power to do was sit and wait for something to happen.  
  
Shuuichi turns to look forlornly out the window from his tied up position upon one of   
  
the various chairs in the office of Koenma. He is uncertain but he feels as though his mother is   
  
worried about him and it is making him restless. He finds himself unable to bear the sight of   
  
the window and looks over at the toddler with a pleading look in his eyes.  
  
"Please Koenma; please let me contact my mother." Shuuichi tries to plead with the   
  
busy toddler. The toddler only takes a moment to look up at Shuuichi before glancing around  
  
at the people that occupy the office with him. Hiei did not even look back, Yusuke, Keiko,   
  
Botan and Kuwabara nodded, and Shizuru shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"I only agree with Shuuichi for the benefit of Shiori, there is no purpose in causing her  
  
grief if it is unavoidable." The fox lifts its head, a head that Keiko had unconsciously been   
  
scratching behind the ears. That feeling was pure bliss; he had forgotten how much he   
  
enjoyed such attention.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry I uhh you... well your ears are so cute and fluffy and… um…" Keiko tries   
  
with out much success to rationalize why she was petting Kurama. Her hand his quickly lifted   
  
off the fox's head much to the dismay of the fox.   
  
"I know it is a difficult temptation to resist, you can pet them if you like. I was rather   
  
enjoying the attention." His voice carried something of a playful tone of which irritated Yusuke  
  
once more.   
  
"Keiko!" Yusuke blurted out once Keiko resumed petting Kurama. She just winks at   
  
Yusuke sticking out her tongue. Ahh yes, revenge was sweet. Kurama observes their folly   
  
twitching his ears in an ever so cute manner and chuckles lightly before resuming his nap. The   
  
rest of the room is in laughter, with the exception of Shuuichi who was worried sick over his   
  
mother, and Yusuke who was obviously at the wrong side of the joke, even Hiei had a slight   
  
grin on his lips though it was hardly visible to those in the room.  
  
Koenma coughs so he may regain his composure before pushing the phone around to   
  
Face Shuuichi. Shuuichi smiles and looks up at the toddler. Was he actually letting him call   
  
her?  
  
"Yusuke untie Shuuichi so he may call his mother. Shuuichi I am only giving you five   
  
minutes to talk to her so you may want to make this count. You may tell her what you wish as   
  
this may very well be the last time you speak with her." Koenma stated plainly as Yusuke   
  
untied Shuuichi allowing him a moment of mobility. The red haired boy reaches for the phone   
  
as Koenma dials the sequence of numbers that would connect the spirit world line to the   
  
ningen line, as well expending some of his own Rei-ki to make the connection even possible.  
  
The phone that sat on the small table next to the couch began to ring. Shiori hurriedly   
  
picked up the receiver fumbling it slightly, she just knew it had to be her baby boy; it had to   
  
be, she hoped so much for it to be him. She barely manages to utter a singular sentence with   
  
her shaken voice.  
  
"Shuuichi? Please let it be you Shuuichi…"   
  
"Yes mother it's me. I hope I haven't worried you so." Shuuichi's voice carries a great   
  
sadness with it.   
  
Kurama's ears just straight up trying to listen to both sides of the conversation,   
  
Shiori's voice is muffled but he is able to manage to hear her voice without much difficulty. He   
  
keeps his eyes closed relaxing slightly, for some inexplicable reason, he found the ningen   
  
woman's voice soothing.  
  
"Shuuichi where are you why didn't you call or leave me a note?" Shiori sounds a little   
  
angry but it is obvious by her breathing that she is indeed crying. Shuuichi as a result also as   
  
tears streaming down the sides of his fair colored cheeks, it pained him to hear his mother   
  
cry.   
  
"She is crying…" The fox spoke in a deep, silent voice barely audible to the two people   
  
next to him, Keiko and Shizuru. Kurama's reaction was slightly different, he somewhat nuzzles   
  
himself into Keiko's leg having no way of escaping the sound of the crying woman. This   
  
brought a scowl from Yusuke that the fox did not see. Keiko and Shizuru scowl back at   
  
Yusuke as it is obvious that the fox is upset by the sound as well.  
  
"Mother I don't have much time so I'm only going to say this; I love you very much   
  
and please don't worry about me ok? I can't stand to hear you cry mother please stop crying."   
  
Shuuichi speaks into the phone his emerald hues liquefied by unshed tears.  
  
On the other end of the line Shiori knew there was something wrong and she began to   
  
tremble in fear for her son. Those words sounded like a good bye to her, was her son telling   
  
her goodbye?  
  
"Shuuichi, are… are you alright? Your not i…in any trouble are you?" She could not help   
  
but ask her child.  
  
"I...I love you mother, but I have to go now. Please don't worry…I… I am fine really.   
  
Love you." He hangs up the phone crossing his arms on Koenma's desk, resting his head upon   
  
it and cries.  
  
She listens as the phone goes dead on the other side. She knew her son had lied to   
  
her and was no closer to knowing where he was than before. The phone drops from her ear   
  
as she cups both hands over her eyes and lets the tears cascade down her face.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
~I am hearing a little bit on how Shuuichi seems to be out of Character. Let my offer you a hypothesis. Lets say you are tied to a chair, feeling betrayed by everyone you called a friend, not to mention that you are on the verge of loosing everything. Are you going to be in your typical mind set or are you going to feel hurt and betrayed and perhaps spiteful?  
  
Been a while yes I know,   
  
but some times that is how things go.   
  
Work and toil all day long,  
  
but that only make me strong.  
  
An update is on the works,   
  
Somewhere in my mind it lurks.  
  
~Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
Konada Mikari 


	11. Chapter 10 The Matters at Hand

~ Chapter 10 The Matters at Hand  
  
"Shuuichi, are… are you alright? Your not i…in any trouble are you?" She could not help   
  
but ask her child.  
  
"I...I love you mother, but I have to go now. Please do not worry…I… I am fine really.   
  
Love you." He hangs up the phone crossing his arms on Koenma's desk, resting his head upon   
  
it and cries.  
  
She listens as the phone goes dead on the other side. She knew her son had lied to   
  
her and was no closer to knowing where he was than before. The phone drops from her ear   
  
as she cups both hands over her eyes and lets the tears cascade down her face.  
  
"Why did you not tell her the truth Shuuichi? Are we to end with a lie what we started with a lie?   
  
Is that woman to be in eternal misery? Why spare her life when we only have made life miserable for her   
  
ever since that night. How is she to have the life time of happiness the Ankoku Kyou granted if her son   
  
refuses to speak the truth to her?" The fox removes himself from the rather comfortable position that he  
  
has taken upon the couch to pad himself towards the crying red haired boy. The fox wanted an answer to   
  
this, despite all the crap that the boy had put him through, he knew exactly what the boy was feeling.   
  
"How, how can I tell her, I don't know how. Why are you talking to me anyway? I thought you   
  
hated me." Shuuichi glares down at the oversized silver fox that had taken a seat next to him. All eyes   
  
are on the pair as if expecting some great battle to occur such was not the case.  
  
"Hate is too strong of a word, I am thinking back on things and how much you remind me of   
  
myself when I was a young kit. Perhaps we can work things out without dealing with spirit world logic.   
  
They are just a little too anal retentive for their own good." The fox glances up at Koenma, as does   
  
Shuuichi. There is duel laughter behind them as both Kuwabara and Yusuke cannot help but laugh at the   
  
fox's statement.   
  
"And what is that supposed to mean fox?" In unison, the voices of both Koenma and Botan   
  
resonate through out the room causing a round of laughter to chorus though out the office.  
  
"Nothing your lordship, merely that I am willing to overlook the hell this hooligan put me through   
  
under some... provisions." With the sarcastic tone and the toothy grin from the fox, Shuuichi wondered   
  
what exactly he meant by that. Koenma merely gestured for the fox to continue.  
  
"Three actually, One he comes completely clean with his mother I can assist him in that much,   
  
after all Autsuko and Keiko are fully aware of Yusuke, and Shizuru, Kazuma's Guardian no less, is aware   
  
of his situation, there for it is only fitting that Shiori be aware of Shuuichi's. More so than that, half of   
  
what hurts Shiori so, is the fact that her son sneaks out, lies to her, and disappears for days on end. The   
  
second is that I still need an actual body to manifest myself in, preferably uninhabited It has been long   
  
that I have not had a body of my own; I would be appreciative to have one once more. The third is   
  
Shuuichi needs trained to use his Rei-ki, at this moment he is quite similar to Yusuke in that manner. He   
  
seems to have inherited some of my abilities, and he needs properly trained in their usage. I believe that   
  
would only leave the matter of his attempted escape, in which he was panic stricken and terrified,   
  
probably not in the most stable of states." The last sentence was a stretch, but he was trying to be civil   
  
about things. After all, he could have all the fun in the Ningenkai teaching the boy how to use his Rei-ki   
  
the hard way. Not to mention if he could get a physical form, then he could have even more fun   
  
tormenting… teaching the boy. What was more important to him though was getting Shiori up to date on   
  
what is going on with her child.  
  
"Did he just call me Kazuma?" Kuwabara blinks slightly not used to hearing anyone call him by   
  
his first name other than Yukina. He merely stands there bewildered forgetting half of what is actually   
  
going on.  
  
"Hey wait your saying that if Koenma gets you a body and Shuuichi fesses up to his mom then   
  
you'd teach Shuuichi how to use his Rei-ki?" Yusuke blinks playing through what just happened.   
  
"Yes. However, the lessons are going to be quite difficult. It takes more energy to manipulate   
  
organic matter than it does to form an energy attack. It is better to have a master teach than an   
  
apprentice try to figure it out on his or her own. Is my offer valid for a plea bargain on behalf of   
  
Shuuichi?" The fox states glancing slightly at Yusuke before his gaze reverts to Koenma for his reply.  
  
"Yes well, that should suffice, though where am I going to find a body at this hour, It was hard   
  
enough putting Yusuke back in his. Your body is probably dust by now…. We can probably find something   
  
suitable for you, perhaps a ningen fox, or something along those lines. It would take less time for you to   
  
transfigure inside of it and it is a lot less questionable. Once you transfigure you are back to your Youko   
  
self again. That's not the hard part though." The toddler's eyes get a little wide and his index fingers   
  
begin to tap against each other's tips.  
  
The whole of the room turn to look at the nervous toddler. Their brows are quirked and their ears   
  
are awaiting more information. Kurama stands upon his haunches plopping his front paws on the   
  
toddler's desk with a light pat. He was the most interested in what the demi-god had to say. Koenma   
  
coughs briefly before he stands upon his chair. He coughs once before taking a serious look and   
  
informing them of the requirements.  
  
"Well, here's the catch Kurama. You have to take the vessel at the time of conception. That is   
  
where you made your mistake with Shuuichi, you see he was already well under his way when you snuck   
  
in. The trick is to get in there before the new soul has a chance to manifest. Now here are your choices,   
  
there are humans mating every thirty seconds, but it takes nine months for the child be born, though I   
  
am certain all you Knew that much, but the body grows very slowly. You would have to wait the ten   
  
years you had previously anticipated before you would be back in full. Now let us compare that to a fox.   
  
Sure, you have to wait for mating season again, unless there are some late maters, which is in another   
  
six or seven..."  
  
"Eight." The fox humbly states cutting off Koenma. He then licks his lips and quirks a brow. The   
  
look on his face reflects some where on the lines of ask me I dare you.  
  
"Don't… Remind me..." Shuuichi shudders remembering quite clearly some of Kurama's vixens.   
  
Yes, he was a very busy fox in the spring.  
  
Koenma quirks his brow, recalling having to turn off his monitor a few times. He notes that all   
  
eyes are on the fox, but no one seems to have the courage to ask, and decide to brush it off as he is a   
  
fox, of course he would know that.   
  
"…Eight months… Then Kits are born in the winter. Now foxes obviously grow to maturity much   
  
sooner than ningen and I would say it would take roughly a year or so before Kurama is back to full and   
  
he would be able to transfigure probably after his fourth month. Despite all this Shuuichi still has the   
  
matter of his assault on my employees to deal with." Koenma takes a seat in his chair pondering a   
  
resolution to this; it would be difficult to brush aside.  
  
"That is simple Koenma, Yusuke has obviously served his purpose as your Rei Kai Tantei,   
  
therefore why not have Shuuichi take his position as your primary sleuth? After all he would be much   
  
better at it anyway; that way Yusuke can return to his proper responsibility." Hiei glances over at the  
  
toddler, his ruby spheres refined into a pair of daggers staring Koenma piercing his line of vision.  
  
"Let me guess Hiei you want me to go back to the Makai." Yusuke narrows his gaze on the short   
  
youkai. He left the Makai a year early; he knew that, but why was Hiei pushing him to return?   
  
"Your lands are in Chaos and if you want to avoid a war, I suggest you return." It was true, ever   
  
since Yusuke had left, the rebellions within the lands on the Taiyoukai had increased. There was no   
  
longer any fear of reprimand, and things were thrown into utter chaos.   
  
"Probably should, I was hesitant to leave as soon as I did but I missed everyone. Well what do   
  
you say Koenma?" He looks over at the toddler for the final answer.  
  
"Perhaps, I have to go speak to the courts about this arrangement thought, and I'm certain they'll   
  
want to throw in their little quips." He slides off of his chair and strides towards the door running the   
  
entire list through is mind.  
  
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~ Yep the latest installment. Well more to come! Thanks to all my reviewers! My Dedicated readers, and everyone who gives me their honest opinion!  
  
~Aikousha no Gingitsune. Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
Konada Mikari 


	12. Chapter 11 The waiting Game

~Chapter 11 The Waiting Game.  
  
       "Perhaps, I have to go speak to the courts about this arrangement thought, and I'm certain they'll   
  
want to throw in their little quips." He slides off his chair and strides towards the door running the entire   
  
list through is mind.  
  
       The toddler stands amongst a group of varied apparitions, a great deal of whom have themselves   
  
cloaked in plush dark colored robes. They seemed to be murmuring amongst themselves as if they were   
  
deciding the fate of apparitions they have yet to meet. Perhaps they were. Koenma coughs briefly to   
  
clear his throat. All speech ceases as the great counsel focuses on the one who has disturbed their   
  
deliberations.  
  
       Back in the office Kurama who was once sitting close to the ningen Shuuichi has now retreated to   
  
the couch, but does not sit upon it as Yusuke had sought the opportunity to take the spare seat. Hiei   
  
never had moved from his spot upon the wall and was silently observing the room in whole before he   
  
focuses on Botan was chatting with Shizuru. Shuuichi himself was taking a slight nap leaning forward on   
  
the desk, eyes closed and his face buried in his crossed arms. He just wanted all this hell to be over. He   
  
pondered trying to escape again, but with everyone there, not to mention the prospect that he may   
  
actually be able to go home, he decided against it and decided to await his fate.  
  
       No one in the room could honestly say how long they were sitting there, but the minutes seemed to   
  
drag on. More than once Kurama had paced the length between the couch and Shuuichi, Hiei had pulled   
  
Shizuru and Botan aside and was speaking in a low tone of voice, and his facial features appeared to be   
  
threatening the both of them for some inexplicable reason. Kuwabara had tried to listen into their   
  
conversation but his observation came to a halt by the swift movement of the three-eyed vertically   
  
challenged youkai drawing his sword from his sheath and lightly tapping the Adam's apple of Kuwabara's   
  
throat. The tall naturally red headed buffoon, slinked back to the chair he had been seated ever more   
  
curious than before, but fully aware of Hiei's bad mood. There was the Bad mood that you messed with   
  
the shrimp, and then there is the bad mood he does not waste anytime in drawing a weapon on you.   
  
This was one of those times.  
  
       As the minutes turned into hours, the whole of the room became more restless. Kurama found   
  
himself circling the room several times, each of his sleek four tails fidgeting moving in an unpredictable   
  
manor, though not smooth rigidly as though he were sensing an incoming attack. Shuuichi's eyes were   
  
on the fox, his mind pondering picking up the chair he sat on and throwing it at the fox. The fox's   
  
apprehensive movements were starting to wear on his finely worn nerves. He restrained himself, of   
  
course, but it does not mean the thought was not nestled happily in the recesses of his mind.   
  
       Yusuke had gotten up once more and was watching the both of them as though he were willing   
  
something to happen. He was entirely bored, he needed something to do, and breaking up the two of   
  
them seemed perfect. He needed some action not this perpetual silence that was not only devastating   
  
his nerves, but was well into poisoning the last strands of sanity left in everyone else.  
  
       Shizuru had begun a chain smoking fit that threatened to demolish the pack she had. She had   
  
refrained from smoking as long as she could as there were no ashtrays anywhere in sight, however the   
  
cravings had gotten to her and she caved into the addiction. She currently had littered one of the potted   
  
plants with three butts of her cancer sticks and did not seem willing to come to a halt anytime soon.   
  
       Kazuma Kuwabara, whom normally would be having an argument with Hiei but given Shorty's bad   
  
mood, was currently sitting on the floor biting his nails without notice to his own actions. His inept mind   
  
filled with a plethora of "what ifs" that if he pondered any more, there would be flumes of black smoke   
  
emanating from his ears.   
  
       Shorty, himself, did not seem phased by the silence; in fact, he looked completely normal. It was   
  
only Shuuichi and Kurama that could notice that the silence ate away at the walls that shielded him from   
  
his emotions. His eyes appeared slightly narrowed; his left foot slid ever so slightly back. The Jaganshi's   
  
left hand rested on the hilt of his sword. Neither could actually be certain of what exactly was bothering   
  
him outside of the prospect of war between Mukuro and Yusuke. The older, wiser fox however assumed   
  
that the discussion Hiei was having with Shizuru and Botan had something to do with Yukina.   
  
       Keiko was the most not worthy of all. Her mood changed every few minutes at one glance her mood   
  
seemed to be happy in the fact that she was included in one of Yusuke's "missions" for once, but on the   
  
next glance, she looked as though she was going to tear the Taiyoukai to shreds. On more than one   
  
occasion, the girl had looked as though she were going to cry.   
  
       It seemed to hold George the Ogre in utter fascination as he observed the girl but trembled slightly   
  
to nervous to approach her to ask if she was alright. Though the fact that another member of the room   
  
had slipped into Koenma's chair and started to work on the pile of papers on the desk had caught his eye   
  
as well.  
  
       The bubbly ferry girl had taken on a serious look and decided to finish this last bit of paperwork   
  
before Koenma returned. She knew what to look for, and it was not as though he read anything anyway.   
  
She stamps away at the mountains of paper work that merely came here for Koenma's signature after   
  
having been proofread by countless apparitions and appearing into the this particular office for the stamp   
  
that made it all official.  
  
       After a few hours had passed, the door to the office opened once more and in strode the toddler   
  
Koenma. In his left hand was a tape. His face looked semi somber, and yet there was a glint to his eyes.   
  
It was a mixed signal he was giving of that even Shuuichi and Kurama were having difficulty deciphering.   
  
Though the pair were indeed the fist to notice the tape, both had enough tact not to mention it right off   
  
the bat.  
  
"Hey toddler, what's with the tape?" The voice that emanated near the floor had uttered the   
  
words for them. The tactless one had spoken and his name was Kazuma Kuwabara.   
  
       "Thank You Botan." What The toddler crossed the room to sit upon his office chair once more. He   
  
shoes Botan away his eyes glancing at the minimal paperwork that needs to be stamped.   
  
        "What's this? The results from the counsel, however Shiori is to be brought here prior to viewing   
  
this. It was their direct order. Botan. You, Yusuke, and Shuuichi go and bring Shiori here. If the rest of   
  
his family desires to come they may. I doubt Shiori has left the house." He looked fatigued he places the   
  
tape on the desk, and after sitting, he once more begins stamping paper work once more. It was a   
  
tedious task but someone had to do it. He was a couple hours behind anyway. Damn, he needed a day   
  
where no one died or was born.   
  
       Shuuichi immediately perks up as the fox has a look of both distain at he fact that he's not allowed   
  
to go, but then again he fully understands why. He lightens his mood up a little bit, but can't help but be   
  
nervous at the prospect of Shiori meeting him in this form. He figured that, if he was lucky, she would   
  
see him as a cute cuddly pet as opposed to a murderous thief that tried to possess her son. One could   
  
always hope. Either way he was highly curious as to what was on that tape and was eager for them to   
  
return.  
  
       "Well go one you three." The fox spoke for the first time in several hours startling everyone in it.   
  
Shuuichi nods his head just happy to see his mother again; Yusuke shrugs and begins to walk to Botan   
  
his hands behind his head looking pleased that he gets to do something other than stand around. Botan   
  
summons her oar and holds it parallel to the floor mounting it and awaiting her passengers. She silently   
  
hopes that only Shiori that is coming. There was not much room left for anyone maybe two passengers   
  
more.  
  
       As the trio takes off for the Ningenkai, Kurama pads himself towards their exit route and sits down,   
  
his tails serenely laying upon the office floor unmoving and at rest. He does not move once just stairs his   
  
mind falling into thought. He was not quite certain what he had gotten himself into. If all things did work   
  
out the way he planned, he still could not see going back to his old ways. What had the council decided,   
  
and should he bother Koenma for the details so soon. He knew that without a little creative persuation   
  
Koenma would divuge anything. Sighs and surrenders to the fact that he would have to wait, just like   
  
everyone else.   
  
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~Yes been a while since I updated, so I am using the standard excuse all authors use. Classic Writers block, but I feel it lifting so I am looking to update more frequently.  
  
Aikousha no Gingitsune. Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
                            Konada Mikari 


	13. Chapter 12 – Not Your Typical Family Out...

Glossary:  
  
Rei-kai Daihatsu Kan - Spirit World Great Building  
  
Sengoku Jidai – Warring states Era. 1400- 1600 AD  
  
Author's Note: Since there are indeed two different Shuuichi, I will continue to spell the name of Shiori's son as I have been throughout this entire fiction. For Hanataka's son I will be spelling it Shuiichi. Technically, both names are spelled Shuuichi; however, I am making this variance in spelling to differentiate between the two boys.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 12 – Not Your Typical Family Outing  
  
   "Well go on you three." The fox spoke for the first time in several hours startling everyone   
  
in it. Shuuichi nods his head just happy to see his mother again; Yusuke shrugs and begins to   
  
walk to Botan his hands behind his head looking pleased that he gets to do something other   
  
than stand around. Botan summons her oar and holds it parallel to the floor mounting it and   
  
awaiting her passengers. She silently hopes that only Shiori that is coming. There was not   
  
much room left for anyone maybe two passengers more.  
  
       As the trio takes off for the Ningenkai, Kurama pads himself towards their exit route and   
  
sits down, his tails serenely laying upon the office floor unmoving and at rest. He does not   
  
move once just stairs his mind falling into thought. He was not certain what he had gotten   
  
himself into. If all things did work out the way he planned, he still could not see going back to   
  
his old ways. What had the council decided, and should he bother Koenma for the details so   
  
soon. He knew that without a little creative persuasion Koenma would divulge anything. Sighs   
  
and surrenders to the fact that he would have to wait, just like everyone else.   
  
       The wind blows through his crimson locks messing it slightly but he does not seem to   
  
mind. His emerald hues glance down at the cityscape underneath him. He resists the urge to   
  
give Botan specific directions to his home knowing that she knows exactly where she is going.   
  
Still something is indeed bothering him about this entire situation. It was how they were going   
  
to present themselves to his mother.  
  
       Shiori Minamino awakens to find herself in her bedroom alone on her bed. The last thing   
  
she could remember was the couch and how comfortable it felt. She figures that Hanataka   
  
must have moved her after she lost consciousness. He mind immediately snaps to one thing,   
  
Shuuichi. She quickly removes herself from the blanket's grasp and dashes from the room to   
  
her son's room.  
  
       Vacant; she expected as much; her mood once more shifts to being distant. She slides   
  
into her child's room closing the door behind her. Her chocolate hues glance about from her   
  
stationary position in front of the door. It was completely clean, though a few things were   
  
slightly dusty due to their lack of use. There had to be something, anything that would tell her   
  
where her son may have gone to. She was worried, never having gotten such a call before.   
  
Usually when her son called, he would say he would be coming home. She remembers a   
  
couple of years ago; her son had disappeared as he did now. She got a call from him saying   
  
that would return in a couple weeks. This time was different; he in not so many words told her   
  
goodbye.  
  
       Her footsteps carry her to her son's desk against the far wall next to the window. It was   
  
slightly to the right of the window allowing the light to hit it and yet not blind him as he sat to   
  
read. Pulling out the chair she sat down at it, her eyes glance to the family picture of the four   
  
of them. Shuuichi is grabbing Shuiichi from behind playfully a smile on both the boy's faces;   
  
Shiori is in the background with Hanataka. Everyone seems so happy. Shiori smiles warmly at   
  
the picture before her eyes wander to the drawers of the desk. She never had gone through   
  
her son's things before. Despite a few times when she was tempted to do so with his   
  
disappearances, she never felt the need to.   
  
       Allowing a sigh to escape her lips, she slides the top dresser drawer open and finds   
  
nothing but a ledger, a few pens, and a small book. The book itself was brown leather, quite   
  
worn, and not very thick roughly a quarter inch. She could not decipher the script on the front   
  
of it. It seemed to be in a completely different language though the words were hand written   
  
in black medium point sharpie marker. She begins to flip though some of the pages, it   
  
appeared to be a journal of sorts, the date headings were in Japanese but the text was   
  
something else, defiantly not any language she knew the writing looked exquisite, however it   
  
seemed to be nothing more than random scribbling to her. She could make out a few names:   
  
Yusuke's, Keiko's, Kuwabara's and Shizuru's; other than this and the date headings, nothing   
  
was decipherable. She continues to flip through the journal trying to find something, anything,   
  
which would give her some sort of lead. She found nothing; nothing except a few names and   
  
some rather interesting drawings of plants. Giving up on the journal, she puts it back as she   
  
found it and closes the drawer. Her hand slips to the bottom drawer opening it up finding his   
  
required reading for the break. Lifting the books out of the drawer, she places them on the   
  
counter and reads the titles: Advanced Botany, History of the Sengoku Jidai, Advanced   
  
Japanese Literature. She stopped on a book pushing the others aside. It was not very large,   
  
but it had the same odd script as his journal. She opens the book and begins to flip through   
  
the pages. There was nothing of any use to her; nothing until she reaches an illustration in the   
  
book that matches one of the odd sketches in Shuuichi's journal. She looks at the plant with   
  
slight interest. A large plant seemed to have teeth in the middle of its large flower, She could   
  
not be certain of the size though the outer stems seemed to be quite long. Wishing she could   
  
read the caption underneath it, she closes the book stacking it among the other three as she   
  
had found it and puts the books back into the drawer closing it once more.  
  
       She gets up from the desk moving towards his closet. Her footsteps are light and yet   
  
swift. The books disturbed her slightly. They were not westernized letters, nor were they   
  
anywhere near Asian characters. They were something different. Her fingers coil around the   
  
handle to the closet door, and with a deep breath, she opens it to find nothing. There was   
  
nothing in the closet other than his clothing hamper and his clothing hanging there untouched   
  
by their owner. With another sigh, out of despair that she found no leads or relief that she   
  
found nothing out of the ordinary, she closes the closet door and begins to walk towards the   
  
bedroom door.  
  
       Almost as an after thought, she looks back at Shuuichi's bed. Perfectly made, she begins   
  
to stride towards it until she smells sausage in the air. Was Hanataka cooking breakfast?   
  
Deciding the bed could wait until after she ate, she turns around and opens the door striding   
  
out into the hallway again. Her footsteps carry her to the stairs.  
  
       "Dad? Should I go get Shiori?" The young Shuiichi asked his father, who currently was   
  
flipping the sausage patties in the pan.  
  
       "Yes, Breakfast is almost done. She hasn't been eating write since Shuuichi disappeared   
  
I'm slightly worried." Hanataka feigned a smile before Shuiichi removed himself from the   
  
kitchen to wake up Shiori.  
  
       "Its alright, I'm already awake." A reply from the staircase came. She exited the stair well   
  
and began to stride towards the Dining room table.  
  
       Nearing the Minamino residence Botan descends on the oar to the vacant sidewalk of the   
  
residential district. With the disembarking of Shuuichi and Yusuke, she dispels her oar sending   
  
it to the ethereal pocket she kept it in when not in use. They all glance down the sidewalk at   
  
the house a few doors down. They all knew who's house it was, it was a matter of how they   
  
were going to present the oldest Minamino son to the rest of the Minamino family.   
  
       "Well if we tell them he was possessed by a Kitsune, they might believe that. But that's   
  
not a good thing to say since we don't know what's on that tape." Botan turns to speak to   
  
them, her violet hues mixed with a helpless need to know what exactly to do.  
  
       "Well the more pressing thing is to convince my mother to get on a magical oar to make   
  
a business visit to the realm of the dead." Shuuichi calmly states the obvious facts. Another   
  
thing he learned from Kurama, you always sound more wise when you state the obvious facts   
  
in a manner that makes the listener believe they over looked them.  
  
       "Well if I didn't know what I know now, I sure as hell wouldn't believe you." Yusuke   
  
states the obvious in a manner that lacks the finesse of sounding superior, but he does have a   
  
point.  
  
       "Perhaps, we should just wing it; we'll be standing here all day trying to figure out how to   
  
do this." Botan promptly turns on her heel and begins to walk down the sidewalk towards the   
  
Minamino Residence.  
  
       "You heard the Grim Reaper Shuuichi, let's go." He grabs Shuuichi by the wrist and   
  
begins to pull him down the sidewalk with him until the boy begins to walk on his own.  
  
       They stride up to the door of the residence; the flowers though unattended to, are still in   
  
full bloom the perfume fills the air. Shuuichi glances at them with a slight smile; it was good to   
  
be home. He goes to turn the handle on the front door but finds it locked. His hands go into   
  
his front right pocket for the house key, but he finds it missing so he goes for the doorbell   
  
instead.   
  
        "I advise you both stand behind me, I assure you that you do not want to be between   
  
me and the person that answers the door." Shuuichi's emerald hues glance at Botan and   
  
Yusuke and obediently the take a step behind Shuuichi.   
  
       Pushing the button the door chimes in the standard chiming tone before he hears   
  
someone come to the door. Bracing himself for the impact, he watches the door open. Much to   
  
his own relief, Shuiichi answered the door. The boy was quick to latch on to him however, but   
  
at least he could breath.  
  
       "Dad! Shiori! Shuuichi's home!" The boy turned his head to call back into the house. The   
  
sound that followed would be remembered for quite some time. From what it sounded like,   
  
there was a shatter of a glass hitting the floor, the sound of rampant footsteps following the   
  
sound of something hitting the floor hard. This in turn was followed up by the sound of   
  
Shuiichi being pushed out of the way and a slight squeak from Shuuichi as he had the life   
  
squeezed out of him by his mother's hug.  
  
       "Shuuichi, where were you? I was so worried. You had me sacred. I didn't know what   
  
happened to you." Shiori managed to get out between her sobs of happiness that fell into   
  
Shuuichi's shoulder. The woman in the crimson haired youth's arms trembled a little, but it   
  
was out of happiness to see her child alive and well.  
  
       "About that mother, I do have to go back but I need you to come with me. Hanataka and   
  
Shuiichi can come to if they would like." He made a point of saying that in an attempt make   
  
his own situation seem not as ominous. He feigned a weak smile though it worried him to no   
  
end what was on that tape.   
  
       "Where are we going Shuuichi?" The younger Shuiichi could not help but ask. After all   
  
how often was it that your big brother asks you to go somewhere with the town thug and a   
  
rather beautiful blue haired girl who was wearing a rather flattering kimono? His eyes look   
  
around his brother to the blue haired girl. He took the opportunity to wave at her, and   
  
received a wave and a smile in return.  
  
       "I know it may sound hard to believe, but we're going to the Rei-kai. Botan will pilot us   
  
there." He gestures at the blue haired girl and on cue she manifests her Oar, It looked to be   
  
barely enough to seat all of them, but if it could fir Her, Shizuru, Keiko, Kuwabara, Hiei, and   
  
one deceased Senior Citizen, then surely it could handle her, Yusuke, Shuuichi, Shuiichi,   
  
Shiori, and Hanataka. After all Shuuichi and Shuiichi equaled one Kuwabara sort of.   
  
       Shiori stepped back; did he just say Rei-kai? Wasn't that where the spirits people went   
  
when they died? The look of worry that riddled her face was unimaginable. She would not   
  
have believed it unless Botan had not manifested the oar out of thin air.   
  
       Hanataka had the same look on his face his eyes dart from the oar to Shuuichi, then to   
  
his son who is darting for the oar and already climbing on it.  
  
       "C'mon! Wow a floating Oar! But wait, Shuuichi isn't dead is he? " Shuiichi is in his own   
  
Juvenile delight at the floating oar, reaches out to poke Shuuichi, who is very much solid.  
  
       "No, I'm very much alive Shuiichi, but we must hurry. Koenma is a very busy deity." Not   
  
that he believed what he just said, but with all that pointless stamping he has to do, he   
  
actually is.  
  
       Shiori timidly approaches the oar, poking it a couple times she looks at her son. After   
  
receiving a reassuring nod from him she climbs up on the oar. Shuuichi like wise climbs on the   
  
oar between Shuiichi and his mother One so he can hold on to the smaller boy so he didn't fall   
  
off in flight, and two so his mother could hold on to him so she didn't fall off in flight. Shuuichi   
  
then looks at Hanataka who seems in a slight daze as to what is going on.  
  
       "Coming dear?" Shiori meekly states the nervousness in her voice is unmistakable. She   
  
had no idea where she was going; what her son had gotten himself into, or why she was   
  
requested to come. All she knew was that she was on some magical oar going to the realm of   
  
the dead.  
  
       "Ye...Yeah I'm coming... Is this thing Safe?" He states this as he is getting on the Oar   
  
behind Shiori. Yusuke climbs on behind him as Botan mounts in front of Shuuichi. There is   
  
barely enough room for them all, but they manage to fit.  
  
      "Certainly! Now everyone hang on to the person in front of you and off we go." Botan   
  
chirps happily making all on board very nervous. The oar ascends into the sky as both Botan   
  
and Shuuichi feel the hold on themselves increasing drastically and faces in the middle of their   
  
backs. They both had expected this and had prepared themselves for it. Rather than taking   
  
the Portal in the red light district, she takes one that was well situated in the sky breaking   
  
through into the spirit world. The scenery was common to the three veterans. Botan's flying   
  
slows down a little and the faces remove themselves from the backs of Botan and Shuuichi.  
  
      "Shuuichi look at that river." She points down at the River Styx in complete amazement.  
  
      "Yes mother, that's the River Styx, Botan is The Pilot of the River Styx, one of them any   
  
way, she's lead pilot I am to assume after all these years." Shuuichi plainly states divulging   
  
information gradually as opposed in one large lump. He still has yet to tell her why she is   
  
here, the very thing she wanted to know.  
  
            "Dad! Look a head of us! What's that?!" Shuiichi's eyes widen as the Rei-kai Daihatsu   
  
Kan comes into view. The building is unlike anything that the three tourists have seen before.   
  
It is reasonable that all three of them, Shuiichi, Shiori, and Hanataka are all staring at it with   
  
their mouths hung open and eyes wide.  
  
            "That's the Rei-kai Daihatsu Kan, The Great Spirit world building, it's where we are   
  
going. Were not going through the main entrance though, it is reserved for the dead and   
  
employees. We're entering though the office window." Botan increases her speed flying around   
  
the outside of the building with a wave from one of the security trolls. Shuiichi stares, Shiori   
  
clings tighter to Shuuichi and Hanataka Pretends he did not see it at all everyone else waves   
  
back to trusty Harold, the security troll. She effortlessly pilots the fully loaded oar into the   
  
window near the top of one of the towers of the building. Shiori is the first to speak after   
  
seeing Shizuru and Kuwabara there as well; she had yet to notice the wolf sized silver fox   
  
Curled in the corner of the room.  
  
            "Shizuru, Kuwabara? You were brought here too?" Shiori disembarks the oar, her eyes   
  
glancing about the office before she screeches seeing George the ever-faithful ogre standing   
  
near what appeared to be a toddler.  
  
            "It's alright Mrs. Minamino, the Ogre works for me. George if you could be so kind as   
  
to leave the office?" Koenma turns to glance at the Ogre the threat in his eyes not in his voice.   
  
George is quick to exit through the office door and Koenma stands upon his chair coughing to   
  
clear his voice.  
  
            "Introductions are in order. I am Koenma, Son of King Yama, and Ruler of the spirit   
  
world. I believe you have met Botan, and already you know Yusuke, Shizuru, and Kuwabara.   
  
The Short Silent one in the back is Hiei, and the silver Kitsune curled up in the back corner is   
  
Kurama. In case you do not know them, this Is Shiori Minamino, Her husband Hanataka, and   
  
his son Shuiichi." After a few hellos and waves and a singular nod from Hiei, The fox gets up   
  
and pads over to Shuuichi's side not saying a word. The Fox's hues look up at Shiori with an   
  
apologetic glint to them.  
  
            "How much did Shuuichi tell you on the way here Shiori?" He was curious; he wanted   
  
to know how much of a shock this video was going to be.  
  
            "Well he told us where we were going." Shiori stated, in all actuality that was it.   
  
            "Well then that makes this a little harder on you I'm afraid. Everyone take a seat and   
  
face the monitor please." Furniture gets moved around the room to face the monitor,   
  
Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Koenma give up seats so that The Minamino family and the girls could   
  
have a chair to sit in. The silver Kitsune found the desk top to his personal liking, and Hiei   
  
stood where he was before only now he faced the monitor. Koenma put in the tape and   
  
pressed play.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Another new chapter! I must go to sleep….. Well Hope you enjoyed it! I'm looking to update later. Okies well me go bye bye nows  
  
            Aikousha no Gingitsune.Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox.  
  
Konada Mikari 


	14. Chapter 13 – The Four Horsemen, and fat...

Chapter 13 – The Four Horsemen, and fate of Plant Bearers.  
  
            "How much did Shuuichi tell you on the way here Shiori?" Koenma was curious; he   
  
wanted to know how much of a shock this video was going to be.  
  
            "Well he told us where we were going." Shiori stated, in all actuality that was it.   
  
            "Well then that makes this a little harder on you I'm afraid. Everyone take a seat   
  
and face the monitor please. The four high judges of the court, also known as the Four Horsemen   
  
of the Apocalypse, have reached their decision. I ask all of you to remain quiet during the   
  
viewing of this tape." Furniture is moved around the room to face the monitor, Kuwabara,   
  
Yusuke, and Koenma give up seats so that The Minamino family and the girls could have a   
  
chair to sit in. The silver Kitsune found the desk top to his personal liking, and Hiei   
  
stood where he was before only now he faced the monitor. Koenma put in the tape and pressed   
  
play.  
  
            The light on the screen would flicker briefly before it shows a room, a dark room   
  
with shadow figures surrounding the camera. The voices were all deep and monotone,   
  
indistinguishable from one another; the only indication of a change of speakers was a   
  
luminescent flicker from the speaker's eyes prior to speech. There were four of them each   
  
of various height and build, but other than that the same.  
  
           The one to the far left speaks, his eyes shimmer a cerulean blue. "This tape was   
  
produced in accordance to case numbers 54253334, 54253335 and 54253336, Youko Kurama vs.   
  
Rei-kai, Youko Kurama vs. Minamino Shuuichi, and Rei-kai Vs. Minamino Shuuichi. This tape   
  
is in accordance to sentencing agreements set forth in case the both defendant and prosecution   
  
accepted a plea-bargain in case 54253335. Mrs. Minamino, what you are about to learn most   
  
likely will come as a surprise. We ask that you pay full attention to the details contained  
  
within this tape. Upon completion of this tape, it will become your possession. You may view  
  
it when you desire. You may not show the contents of this tape with any one but those within  
  
this room, your husband, and his son."  
  
            The one on the far right now speaks; his eyes are crimson red, "In reference to  
  
case number 54253334, Youko Kurama VS. Rei-kai, the defendant Youko Kurama has pleaded guilty  
  
to the misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of an unborn ningen. The High court of   
  
Rei-kai has decided to accept the guilty plea. Kurama, in accordance to the laws of the Rei-kai,  
  
is charged with the protection of the ningen and his family from youkai that, because of his   
  
interference in the life of the ningen, have found Shuuichi Kurama, also known as Minamino   
  
Shuuichi, to be enemy. The duration of this sentence is no less than ten years from the date  
  
set in reference to Case number 54253335. Should he falter in this mission willfully, he will  
  
be returned to the Rei-kai and formally charged with intentional defiance of an order of the   
  
court, and will be sentenced to exile from the earth sphere."  
  
            The Shadow to the middle left now speaks, his eyes a luminescent emerald green,   
  
"In Reference to case number 54253335, Youko Kurama VS. Minamino Shuuichi, the defendant has  
  
pleaded guilty to seventeen counts of enslavement of an independent spirit."  
  
            The voice on the tape would stop as though the speaker had already predicted   
  
the gasp that came from Minamino Shiori, her hands cover her mouth as her dark eyes widen   
  
out of sheer shock, and the pause is brief in the tape however, as though it calculated how  
  
long her reaction would take.  
  
            "In Rei-kai law, one count equals one full year of enslavement. The Prosecution,   
  
Youko Kurama, entered a plea Bargain on behalf of the defendant. The terms of the plea bargain  
  
are as follows."  
  
A List would appear on the screen of the monitor, as the voice would read them aloud.  
  
1)The defendant Shuuichi Minamino must in turn inform his parent, Minamino Shiori of   
  
the truth regarding himself and the Prosecution.  
  
2)In compliance with Case number 54253334, Kurama is to be provided a physical form   
  
in which to protect the Minamino family, and in turn teach the defendant how to   
  
control the energies inherited from his failed possession. A location has been   
  
determined in regards to this case. Upon completion of this tape, Kurama is to take   
  
possession of a silver fox kit at a breeding farm located in the Ningen country of   
  
America. Should he fail in this it will be viewed as defiance, since they are bred   
  
regularly at this location we see no difficulty in this task. A Rei-kai official will   
  
arrive at the farm to retrieve Youko Kurama four months after birth. At this time and   
  
date, the sentence as per Case number 54253334 will begin.  
  
3) The defendant is to submit to his training and learn to control his Rei-ki.  
  
            "Though the court finds this to be lenient in this case, it has accepted these   
  
terms in regards to prosecutions wishes. Should either side falter on this plea bargain,   
  
the individual will be returned to the Rei-kai and formally charged with intentional defiance  
  
of an order of the court, and will be sentenced to exile from the earth sphere."  
  
            The Shadow in the Middle left now speaks; its eyes are the purest of white more   
  
luminescent then the prior three. "In reference to case number 54253336, Rei-kai VS Minamino   
  
Shuuichi., the Court finds the defendant guilty on one count attempted flight, and eight   
  
counts of assault and battery on the civilian apparitions in the employ of the Rei-kai   
  
Daihatsu Kan, and seven counts of resisting arrest. The Given the circumstances surrounding   
  
the actions, service to the Rei-kai Daihatsu Kan, as well as in compliance to case numbers   
  
54253334 and 54253335, the court has decided not to sentence the defendant to Exile from the   
  
earth sphere. Given the current war brewing in the Makai, the court has decided that Urameshi   
  
Yusuke is no longer fit to serve as Chief detective of the Rei-kai Daihatsu Kan. Minamino   
  
Shuuichi is here by ordered to fill the vacant position and assume the post. This is not   
  
an option. The post is to be filled immediately upon the completion of this tape. This   
  
is nonnegotiable.   
  
            The screen suddenly becomes black once more, and the tape is ejected from the   
  
player. The room is completely silent, as all eyes are upon Shiori.  
  
              
  
            "It can't be… A Kitsune tried to take my child. I thought they were just legend…   
  
However, my son subdued… no took advantage of him? And you all knew... and didn't think once   
  
to tell me?" Shiori looks at the room though tear tainted hues. The faces she observed seemed   
  
rather nervous and apprehensive.   
  
            She was a blender of emotion, concern that a Kitsune had nearly possessed her son,   
  
followed up with how he could do that to the Kitsune. She had concern for both of them and yet   
  
was angry with them as well. How much of her son was one, and how much was the other? Shuuichi  
  
spoke up after a long drawn out silence.  
  
            "Well, most likely my grades will lower…" His emerald hues sheepishly look at his   
  
mother. He was in his eleventh year of school with top grades, and yet he paled recalling how  
  
much of that related to Kurama's knowledge rather than his own skill.  
  
            "By how much?" Shiori's brow quirks, she now becomes the mother that is concerned   
  
with her son's academic achievements. She did not think it could be that bad… could it?  
  
            "Can you read?" the fox states, simply to be a smart ass. He knew very well that   
  
Shuuichi could read, it was more to get a raise out of the crimson haired youth.  
  
            "What?" Shiori's eyes shift to her son with a look of desperation. I could not   
  
possibly be THAT bad… could it?  
  
            "OF COURSE I CAN READ! All I'm saying is that my history and Botany grades are   
  
going to drop." He crosses his arms over his chest, fuming a little at the fox's joke. Great   
  
now his mother was going to be standing over him like a hawk, just to make certain he is   
  
studying.  
  
            "Well then you'll have to study." Shiori refrains from saying harder. This is   
  
primarily due to her not believing her son had studied either. She wondered if her son's   
  
gift with plants was due to the silver fox, as opposed to her son's natural abilities. If   
  
he is saying he is going to loose points in botany, then it was because he was reliant on   
  
the Kitsune.  
  
            "Yes mother. I will." He refrains from rolling his eyes. It was common   
  
knowledge to any child; never roll your eyes at your mother. He keeps his calm about him,   
  
or at least he appears to. He was not overtly worried about botany, but history was such   
  
a tiresome subject and one he had preferred not to dabble. He realized that the rest of   
  
break would be learning at least enough to get by.  
  
            "Well I hate to interrupt this motherly lecture, but I am very busy and I   
  
have to get Kurama on his way and would like answer The Minamino's individual questions   
  
in private."  
  
            Nodding in agreement, they broke off into separate groups. Departing, they all   
  
take one last look at each other. Various hues glanced about, it was the longest good byes   
  
they had yet to experience.   
  
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Been a while since I updated this thing, Hmm Sorry about the delays, well.. Here it is all   
  
bright and shiny! ::polishes the fic::   
  
Aikousha no Gingitsune.  
  
Devoted Fan of the Silver Fox  
  
Konada Mikari 


End file.
